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COPYRIGHT DEPOSE 





















Stories of the Beginnings 

Junior Department, Second Year 

By 

ETHEL WENDELL TROUT 


The Westminster Textbooks of Religious Education 
For Church Schools Having Sunday, Week 
Day, and Expressional Sessions 

Edited by JOHN T. FARIS, D.D. 



Philadelphia 

The Westminster Press 
1923 








T5V' 5 ^ k> 
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Copyright, 1925, 
by 

F M. BRASELMAN 



JDN ci 1924 

• • • • 

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Preface 


The Westminster Textbooks of Religious Education are 
planned to meet the needs of churches seeking to unify their 
educational program. The informational, devotional, and 
expressional phases of religious education have been, hereto¬ 
fore, to a large extent, independent of one another. This 
lack of correlation has been detrimental to educational effi¬ 
ciency. Time and effort have been lost through duplication. 
Valuable information has failed to register itself in conduct 
because of the lack of suitable opportunities for expression. 
Many of our churches have been feeling their way toward 
better educational standards. It is in response to the re¬ 
quests and needs of these churches that the series of lessons 
has been undertaken. 

These textbooks are planned for church schools having 
a Week Day Session, a Sunday Session, and an Expressional 
Session meeting either on Sunday or on a week day. An 
absolute differentiation of the three phases of the educative 
process is neither possible nor desirable. The lessons are 
so arranged, however, that the Week Day Session is mainly 
informational, the Sunday Session more largely devotional, 
and the third session of the week largely expressional. 

Since the course is a unity, it is not necessarily confined to 
the plan suggested. It would be equally suited to a week¬ 
day church-school system having three sessions a week and 
unrelated to the Sunday-school program of the community. 
The course could be adjusted to any local condition, pro¬ 
vided the sequence of the lessons were maintained. 

Forty-two lessons of three sections each are provided for 
each grade, or year. It is thought that this will furnish ma¬ 
terial for a church-school program with three sessions per 
week throughout the public-school year. It is also- believed 
that many schools will find the material sufficient for the use 
of the Sunday Session during that part of the year when 
Week Day Sessions are discontinued. Much of this sum- 


111 


IV 


PREFACE 


mer season might be spent in a rapid review of the work 
covered during the other part of the year. No exact adjust¬ 
ment to any particular circumstances is attempted because 
of the fact that church schools differ widely in the matter 
of their summer sessions. Some are practically closed all 
summer; some continue on as extensive a basis as during 
other parts of the year. The whole matter of adjustment is 
best left to the local church-school administration. If a 
church school practically closes at the beginning of summer, 
it would be well for the authorities of that school to plan for 
a completion of each year’s course at that time. If the 
school runs on through the summer with undiminished at¬ 
tendance, more time may be taken for the lessons, a part 
of each book being left for completion in the summer ses¬ 
sions. Where this is done, the section intended for the 
week-day lesson may be taken on one Sunday of the summer 
period, the Sunday lesson related to this week-day lesson 
for next Sunday, and the expressional lesson on a third 
Sunday. 


TABLE OF CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Preface . iii 

Suggestions to the Teacher. vii 

God Caring for His People in the Beginning 

of the World 

Chapter I. “ In the Beginning ”. 3 

The Creation of Life. 7 

Thanking God for His Good¬ 
ness . 11 

Chapter II. The Garden of Eden. 14 

Adam and Eve in the Garden. 17 
How God Wants Us to Live. 20 

Chapter III. The Story of the Temptation. 23 

Hiding from God. 28 

Pleasing and Displeasing God. 32 

Chapter IV. Cain and Abel. 34 

The Sin at the Door. 36 

Our Responsibility for Others. 39 

Chapter V. The Family of Adam and Eve. 42 

The Building of the Ark.... 46 

Doing Right in Spite of Ridi¬ 
cule . 51 

Chapter VI. The Story of the Flood. 54 

The Rainbow Covenant. 57 

Following a Good Example.. 59 

Stories of Three Patriarchs 

Chapter VII. The Early History of Abra¬ 
ham . 65 

The Call of Abraham. 68 

Plow God Kept the Promise. 72 

v 
















TABLE OF CONTENTS 


PAGE 


Chapter VIII. The Land of Promise. 75 

Giving Lot First Choice. 79 

Settling a Quarrel. 83 

Chapter IX. The Battle of Four Kings 

Against Five. 86 

Abraham’s Rescue of Lot. ... 89 

Being Fair to Others. 95 

Chapter X. Hospitality in Bible Lands. .. 98 

Abraham Entertaining Angels 101 
How Juniors Can Be Hos¬ 
pitable . 106 

Chapter XI. The Doom of Sodom and 

Gomorrah. 109 

The Birth of Isaac. 113 

Praying for Ourselves and 
for Others . 115 

Chapter XII. Abraham Willing to Offer 

Isaac. 118 

God’s Promise to Abraham.. 121 
God’s Promises to Us. 123 

Chapter . XIII. Rebekah at the Well. 126 

The Story of Rebekah. 131 

How Juniors May Be Kind. . 133 

Chapter XIV. The Story of Jacob and Esau. 136 

Jacob Receives the Birthright. 140 
Our Birthrights. 143 

Chapter XV. The First Result of Jacob’s 

Sin . 149 

Jacob’s Vision of a Ladder to 

Heaven. 152 

Our Way to Heaven. 156 

Chapter XVI. Jacob in Haran. 159 

The Meeting of Jacob and 

Esau . 162 

How Juniors May Settle 
Quarrels . 165 





















TABLE OF CONTENTS 
Stories of Joseph 


Vll 


page 


Chapter XVII. The Land of the Pharaohs... 171 

Joseph Sold Into Egypt. 174 

Doing a Hard Task. 178 

Chapter XVIII. The Journey to Egypt. 181 

Joseph and the Butler and the 

Baker . 184 

Faithfulness in Everyday 
Things . 187 

Chapter XIX. From Prison to Palace. 189 

Joseph the Ruler of Egypt. . . 192 
Making Ready for Opportu¬ 
nity . 197 

Chapter XX. .Joseph’s Brothers Visit Egypt 199 

Joseph Forgives His Brothers 203 
Returning Good for Evil. 207 

Chapter XXI. The Family of Israel Moves 

Into Egypt.210 

The Children of Israel in 

Egypt . 213 

Ways in Which Juniors May 
Imitate Joseph. 216 

Chapter XXII. The Children of Israel in 

Egypt . 219 


The Early Life of Moses. . . . 222 
Some Bible Juniors Whom 
God Used as His Helpers. . 226 

Chapter XXIII. Moses Fleeing from Egypt. .. 229 

The Burning Bush at Ploreb. . 231 
God Calling Juniors To-Day. . 234 

Chapter XXIV. Moses Obeys God’s Call to 


Service . 238 

Moses and Aaron Before 

Pharaoh . 240 

Courage to Do God’s Will.... 244 

Chapter XXV. The Final Punishment of the 

Egyptians. 247 

The Passover. 250 

Our Passover . 252 



















TABLE OF CONTENTS 


vm 

PAGE 

Chapter XXVI. Starting for the Promised 

Land . 255 

The Crossing of the Red Sea. 260 
God Guiding Our Nation... . 263 

Chapter XXVII. The Wilderness of Sinai.267 

Manna in the Wilderness.... 271 
God’s Gifts of Food to Our 
Nation . 274 

Chapter XXVIII. How God Provided Water for 

the Israelites in the Wilder¬ 
ness . 277 

The Giving of the Law.280 

The Two Great Command¬ 
ments . 283 

Stories of Moses and His Times 

Chapter XXIX. The Tabernacle in the Wilder¬ 
ness . 289 

The Furnishings of the Taber- 
rmrle 292 

Gift’s for’God’s Use’.*.’!!!!!.’ 296 

Chapter XXX. The Report of the Spies.299 

The Punishment of the Israel¬ 
ites . 302 

Trusting in God’s Promises.. 305 

Chapter XXXI. Troubles in the Wilderness... 308 

How God Honored Moses.. . 310 

Learning the Lesson of Trust. 313 

Stories of the Conquest of Canaan 

Chapter XXXII. The Places of the Lesson.... 319 

Joshua Appointed Leader of 

Israel . 322 

Strong in the Lord.>. 325 

Chapter XXXIII. Rahab and the Spies. 329 

The Israelites Crossing the 

Jordan . 332 

How Our Nation Shows Its 
Trust in God. 335 


















TABLE.OF CONTENTS ix 

page: 

Chapter XXXIV. In the Promised Land. 339 

The Siege of Jericho. 342 

God Given Victory. 347 

Chapter XXXV. Defeat and Victory at Ai.... 350 

The Punishment of the Gib- 

eonites . 355 

The Foolishness of Deceit.... 357 

Chapter XXXVI. Joshua’s Battle Against Five 

Kings . 360 

Joshua’s Last Address. 364 

Choosing to Serve the Lord.. 368 

Stories oe the Judges 

Chapter XXXVII. When There Was No King in 

Israel . 373 

Deborah and Barak Defeat 

Sisera . 376 

Leadership for the Right. .. . 380 

Chapter XXXVIII. The Call of Gideon. 383 

Gideon’s Answer to the Call. . 387 

Taking Responsibility. 388 

Chapter XXXIX. Gideon’s Victory. 393 

The Bramble Bush King. 396 

The Qualities of a True 
Leader . 400 

Chapter XL. A Strong Man with a Weak 

Will . 403 

A Leader Who Failed. 406 

A Second Chance. 409 

Chapter XLI. The Story of Ruth’s Choice. . 413 

The Results of Ruth’s Choice. 417 

Showing Respect to Our 
Elders . 420 

Chapter XLII. The Vow of Hannah. 422 

The Boy Samuel. 425 

Following Samuel’s Example. 429 
























GOD CARING FOR HIS PEOPLE IN THE 
BEGINNING OF THE WORLD 



CHAPTER I 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

“ IN THE BEGINNING ” 

Genesis 1:1-19 
The Memory Verse 

“ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” 

—Genesis 1:1. 


The Lesson Story 

The most wonderful book that has ever been known is the 
Bible—the Book in which God has given to his people in 
the world the record of what he has done for us. It is the 
source of our knowledge of what he wants us to believe and 
of how he wants us to live. The Bible has come down to 
us through many generations. Its writers were inspired by 
God. It has been preserved in miraculous ways from the 
hands of those who would have destroyed it forever. 

The Bible is one Book, but it is made up of sections, which 
we also call “ books.” The first of these sections, or books, 
which you will find in your copy of the Bible, is Genesis. 

If you will look in the dictionary, you will find that the 
word “ genesis ” means “ the origination or coming into being 
of anything,” which is, of course, the same as “ beginning,” 
and that is what the Bible book, Genesis, is—the story of 
the beginnings of things, as men inspired by God have writ¬ 
ten them down for us. Many men have studied the book 
of Genesis; many times they have said that the accounts of 
things given there could not be true. But as our knowledge 
increases, as men grow to know more and more of what hap¬ 
pened in the past, they come to see more and more clearly 
that the Bible is true, and that those who thought it was 
wrong were themselves mistaken. 

Look at the first words of the first verse of Genesis— 


3 


4 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


“ In the beginning/’ That is the way in which our Bible 
commences. “ In the beginning God created the heavens and 
the earth.” What existed before that time, we do not know, 
except that there was God—the Creator of our world and of 
all that is in it; the Creator not only of our world, but of all 
the universe. 

At first the earth was waste and without form. There 
was no light. A great expanse of water stretched every¬ 
where, and the Spirit of God moved over it. And then 
God spoke, “ Let there be light,” and there was light. Day 
and night were created, evening and morning, though as yet 
there were no sun, no moon, no stars—just light and dark¬ 
ness. And all this God did in one day. (But we must re¬ 
member that there was as yet no sun to rise and set—just 
light and darkness— and so “ the day ” was not measured as 
we measure our time.) 

God spoke again, “ Let there be a firmament in the midst 
of the waters.” The firmament is the heaven above, into 
which we look at night. But not even on that second day 
were there sun or moon or stars, such as we see when we 
look up into the skies. 

On the third day God spoke again. He commanded that 
the waters be gathered together, and that dry land appear. 
God called the gathering together of the waters “ seas,” and 
the dry land he called “ earth.” You see God was planning 
to make a home for the people whom he was going to create. 
The next command that he gave was that there should be 
on the earth grass and herbs and fruit trees—food for the 
living things for whom he was preparing a home. 

And next he set the lights in the sky—the sun to rule by 
day, the moon by night, and all the stars—the lights which 
divide the day from the night, and regulate the seasons and 
the years. 

So the end of the fourth day came. The earth was pre¬ 
pared as a home for living creatures. Can you picture it as 
it was in those days ? There were the sun and the moon and 
the stars; there were great stretches of sea and land cov¬ 
ered with grass and plants and trees of all kinds. There 
was everything beautiful to look at—but no one to see, no 
one to hear. There was not a fish in the sea, not an animal 
in the forest. No sound was heard, for there was no living 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


5 


ear to hear the lapping of the waves against the shore, or 
the whisper of the winds in the branches of the great forest 
trees. All God’s creation was ready and waiting, but as yet 
there was no living thing to enjoy the good gifts which God 
had made ready in his world. 

Handwork 

If you have a sand table in your classroom, make a sand 
picture of the drawing which you are asked to make for the 
fourth day in the Notebook Work. Make a flat circle of 
sand as large as your table will allow. Divide this into sky, 
sea, and land. Make sun, moon, and stars from paper or 
tin foil to set in the sky; use twigs for trees, and small stones 
for rocks. Make the scene as complete as possible. Leave 
it for your next session, as you may wish to add to it then. 

Notebook Work 

You are beginning a new book of lessons about the begin¬ 
nings of the history of the world. If you can, get a new, 
loose-leaf blank book. On the first page put your own name 
and address, and the name of your Sunday school and class. 
Leave the second page blank. On the third page write a 
title, “ GOD CARING FOR HIS PEOPLE.” Underneath 
this write in smaller letters, “ Stories of the Beginnings.” 
On the next page write the title of this first chapter, “ In the 
Beginning.” On the line beneath this, write the words, “ God 
the Creator.” Then put the various “ days ” given in Gen¬ 
esis 1 :1-19. 

Day 1. God created light and darkness. 

Day 2. God created- 

Day 3. God created- 

Day 4. God created- 

Perhaps you will like to represent these things by pictures. 
If you do, draw a series of five circles. Above them, write 
the words, “ In the Beginning,” “ First Day,” “ Second Day,” 
“ Third Day,” “ Fourth Day.” Leave the first circle blank. 
Divide the second circle, above which you have written 
“ First Day,” into halves by a vertical line. Make one side 











6 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


dark, and leave the other side light. Divide the third circle 
by a horizontal line. This will indicate the making of the 
firmament. In the fourth circle draw a horizontal line as in 
the third circle. Then from this line down to the circum¬ 
ference draw a wavy line to show the separation of the 
waters from the land. Make your fifth circle like the fourth, 
but put in the part above the horizontal line sun and moon 
and stars, to show that on this day God created the lights of 
heaven. 


Expressionae Activity 

God prepared a beautiful world for his children. Can you 
not help this week to make the world more beautiful for 
some one else by doing a kind act, or by saying a pleasant 
word, or by helping in some way? At least you can keep 
from being cross or disagreeable. 

Memory Work 

Learn the words of the following hymn. It was written 
in 1712 by Joseph Addison, a great writer of English prose 
and poetry. 


The Spacious Firmament 

The spacious firmament on high, 

With all the blue, ethereal sky, 

And spangled heavens, a shining frame, 
Their great Original proclaim. 

The unwearied sun, from day to day, 
Does his Creator’s power display, 

And publishes to every land 
The work of an almighty hand. 


Soon as the evening shades prevail, 

The moon takes up the wondrous tale, 
And nightly to the listening earth 
Repeats the story of her birth; 

Whilst all the stars that round her burn, 
And all the planets in their turn, 

Confirm the tidings as they roll. 

And spread the truth from pole to pole. 



Sir Edward Burne-Jones 
























JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


7 


What though In solemn silence all 
Move round this dark, terrestrial ball ? 
What though nor real voice nor sound 
Amidst their radiant orbs be found? 

In reason’s ear they all rejoice, 

And utter forth a glorious voice; 

For ever singing, as they shine, 

“ The hand that made us is divine.” 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE CREATION OF LIFE 
Genesis 1:20 to 2:3 
The Memory Verse 

“ And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, 
it was very good.”—Genesis 1 :31a. 

The Lesson Story 

The world which God had created was ready. The time 
had come for the creation of living things, and so, on the 
fifth day, God created the fish—at first the smaller fish, and 
then the great sea monsters. All the birds were made, from 
the smallest to the largest, at his command. As God looked 
upon them he saw that, all that he had done was good—earth 
and sky, sun and moon and stars, land and water, birds and 
fish. He blessed them all. 

On the sixth day, God commanded that the land bring 
forth living things—cattle, and creeping things, and beasts 
of the earth. And again God saw that all was good. 

And then, last of all, on the sixth day, God created man— 
man, made in his own image, for whom he had planned all 
the other good gifts, the world and its blessings, the grass 
and the flowers and the trees; the birds and the animals and 
the fish. To man he gave dominion over all the fish and the 
monsters in the sea; over all the birds in the air; over all 
the beasts of the field. He gave to him every herb, and all 
the fruit of the earth. He made him master of the world. 

Then, after the work of creation was finished, God saw 
that it was good. On the seventh day he rested from all his 




8 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


work which he had made. And so “ God blessed the sev¬ 
enth day, and hallowed it.” And because God rested on the 
seventh day, he has given to his followers in the world the 
command for all time, “ Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep 
it holy . . . for in six days the Lord made heaven and 
earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh 
day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day, and hal¬ 
lowed it.” 

God made man in his own image. He made him master 
in a beautiful world, where every good gift belonged to him. 
The animals obeyed his word. The trees gave him fruit of 
all sorts for food. Everything belonged to him. Do you not 
think that that first man should have been completely happy 
in the beautiful world which God had given him? Do you 
not think that you would have been happy? But the great, 
wide, beautiful, wonderful world is as beautiful and won¬ 
derful now as it was in those first days. Man is the master 
now, as he was in those first days, for he is the only living 
being whom God has created in his own image. Do you not 
think that we and all the human beings in the world should 
be grateful to him for all the blessings that he has given to 
us—for all the marvelous gifts which he has provided for 
his children ? Let us thank him for all the blessings which 
he has given to the world—to the first man and to all man¬ 
kind since those first days. 


The: World 

Great, wide, beautiful, wonderful world. 
With the wonderful water round you curled, 
And the wonderful grass upon your breast— 
World, you are beautifully dressed. 


The wonderful air is over me, 

And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree, 
It walks on the water and whirls the mills, 
And talks to itself on the top of the hills. 


You friendly earth! How far you go, 

With the wheat fields that nod and the rivers that flow, 
With cities and gardens, and cliffs and isles, 

And people upon you for thousands of miles! 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


9 


Ah! You are so great, and I am so small, 

I tremble to think of you, world, at all; 

And yet when I said my prayers to-day, 

A whisper inside me seemed to say: 

“You are more than the earth, though you are such a dot; 
You can love and think, and the earth cannot! ” 

—William Brighty Rands. 


Putting the: Lesson Into the Life of the Class 

God made man in his own image. We must remember 
that we are created in his likeness, and try to make ourselves 
more and more like him. 

We can become more and more like God the Father by 
trying to live according to the rules which Jesus gave to the 
world in the New Testament. 

God has given to human beings very many wonderful 
gifts. We must show our thanksgiving to him by obeying 
him, by going to church, for instance, by praising him, by 
telling of all his wonderful works in all the world. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

God created the world and all that is in it. He is our 
Father who loves those whom he has made, to whom he has 
given many good gifts. In return we should thank him for 
all the good things that he has provided for us, and praise 
him with all our hearts. 


Memory Work 

Learn part of the old chant, which has been sung for many 
centuries in many churches. It is called the “ Benedicte, 
Omnia Opera Domini,” the words with which it begins in 
Latin: 


“O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; 

Praise him and magnify him forever.” 

You will find it in the back of your hymn book, number 
740. Count how many of God’s creations are named, and 
how many times the words “ Bless ye the Lord ” are used. 


10 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

The; Story or the; Cre;ation as Told by Another Nation 

Many stories of the Creation have been told by the other 
nations of the world, but none of them is so beautiful as that 
given in Genesis, the story given to us in God’s Book. 

One of the old stories is that of the Babylonians, who lived 
at the same time as the Hebrews of the later part of the Old 
Testament. This story has some parts which are very much 
like the account of the Creation which is given in Genesis. 

It was not until 1875 that this story was deciphered by 
men working in the British Museum. It was written in 
queer, wedge-shaped letters on clay tablets discovered not 
very many years before in the library of the great Assyrian 
king named Ashurbanipal, who lived in Nippur, in Assyria, 
in 668-626 b. c. This story tells of a great god named Bel, 
or Marduk, who fought with a goddess named Tiamat, and 
killed her. From her body he made the heavens and the 
earth. 

Though this is foolish, there are other parts of the story 
much like Genesis, which show that the people of Babylonia 
and Assyria had passed down to them part of the story in 
the true form, though they did not know the true God. This 
is the account of the creation of the stars and the moon as it 
has been translated for us: 


“ He made the stations for the great gods; 

The stars, their images, the constellations he fixed. 

He ordained the year, and into sections he divided it; 
The twelve months he fixed by three stars. 


the Moon God he caused to shine forth; the night he in¬ 
trusted to him. 

He appointed a luminary for the night, to determine the 
days; 

Monthly, without ceasing, with the disc he fashioned it, 
saying: 

At the beginning of the month, as thou riseth upon the land, 

The horns are to announce the fixing of the six days.” 


The account of the creation of man, too, is interesting: 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


11 


“ When Marduk heard the words of the gods, 

His heart prompted him, and he devised a cunning plan. 

He opened his mouth and . . . spoke, . . . 

* My blood will I take and bone will I fashion; 

I will make man . . . 

I will create man who shall inhabit the earth, 

That the service of the gods may be established and that 
their shrines may be built! ’ ” 


You can see from these two fragments that the Babylonian 
story of the Creation is something like the account given in 
Genesis. And for that reason it is worth knowing and 
worth studying about. The foolish parts we know must 
have been added by ignorant people, but the true parts show 
how a memory of the true story was handed down even by 
those who had forgotten the true God. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

THANKING GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS 

Psalm 8 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

As we look about us on this beautful day, we see so many 
things for which we want to thank God. We want to thank 
him for all the beauty of the earth, for all the wonderful 
gifts of sun and rain, of winter and summer, and of food 
and drink. We want to thank him for our parents and our 
friends and teachers; we want to thank him because we live 
in a civilized land. We want to thank him, too, that he made 
us in his own image. But especially we want to thank him 
for the greatest gift which he has given to mankind—the gift 
of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we want to thank thee for our 
creation and preservation and for all the blessings of this 
life. But especially we want to thank thee for the greatest 
gift of all those that thou hast given us—the gift of thy Son. 



12 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Bless us and help us to be his loyal followers to-day and 
every day. We ask in his name. Amen. 

Verses for Use: in the Meeting 

Numbers 23:23d; Psalms 19:1-3; 36:6-9; 90:1, 2; 
104:24-31; Isaiah 40:26; I Corinthians 8:6; John 1 :l-5. 

Hymns for Use in the Meeting 

“ From All that Dwell Below the Skies.” 

“ Dear Lord and Father of Mankind.” 

“ The Spacious Firmament on High.” 

“ My God, I Thank Thee, Who Hast Made.” 

“ God Is Working His Purpose Out.” 

“ This Is My Father’s World.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. What did God create on each of the six days? 

2. Over what things is man to be the master? 

3. Name some of the fish, birds, animals. 

4. What are the first words of the Apostles’ Creed? 

5. What is God’s command in regard to the seventh day, 
or the day on which he rested after creating the world ? 

6. How can Juniors thank God for his goodness to the 
people of the world ? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. How Man Differs from God’s Other Creatures. 

2. The Greatest Honor Which Man Has Ever Received. 

3. The Babylonian Story of the Creation. 

4. Why the Creation Stories of Other Nations Are Not 
so Wonderful as the Bible Story. 

5. The First Day of Creation. 

6. The Second Day of Creation. 

7. The Third Day of Creation. 

8. The Fourth Day of Creation. 

9. The Fifth Day of Creation. 

10. The Sixth Day of Creation. 

11. The Seventh Day. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 13 

Some Thoughts About the Topic 

Man’s chief glory is that he was made in the image of God. 

We should try to keep ourselves as much like our Father 
as it is possible for us to be. 

Man is greater than any other of God’s creatures because 
he was made in God’s image. 

God gave to man dominion over all his creatures. We 
should try in every way to use wisely and well the powers 
which God has given us. 

God’s good gifts are for all his people everywhere. We 
should share with others, and try to help them to enjoy all 
the blessings which are around us all. 

We must give praise to God for his goodness to us and to 
all men everywhere. Tet us thank him by trying to obey 
him in every way. 


CHAPTER II 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE GARDEN OF EDEN 
Genesis 2 :4-20 
The Memory Verse 

“ And Jehovah God took the man, and put him into the 
garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”—Genesis 2:15. 

The Lesson Story 

The first chapter of Genesis, which was your last lesson, 
says that God created man in his own image. In the chap¬ 
ter which is our lesson for to-day there is given more about 
the creation of man, for verse 7 says, “ And Jehovah God 
formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into 
his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” 

This is all that we know about the creation of man from 
the Bible. God does his miracles in wonderful ways that 
are far beyond man’s understanding, and though people have 
thought and written much about the Creation, we do not 
understand very much even now about it. We do not know 
how God made man from the dust of the earth, nor how he 
gave him life, and made him a “ living soul.” But we do 
know that we ought to give him thanks in that he has made 
human beings in his own image, with souls that make us 
different from the other creatures that he has made, and that 
he loves us more than all the other creatures in the world. 

One way in which God showed his love for the man whom 
he had created was by giving him a wonderful home. God 
“ planted a garden,” in which man was to live. This Garden 
is called “ Eden,” a name which means “ pleasantness.” 
Another name by which we call it is " Paradise,” which 
means “ a park.” 


14 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


15 


We do not know exactly where the first home of man was, 
but the Bible tells us, Genesis 2 :8, that it was “ eastward ”; 
that is, eastward of Palestine. We know, too, that a river 
flowed from the Garden, and divided into four branches— 
the Pishon, the Gihon, the Hiddekel, and the Euphrates. 
Though we do not know now what rivers were meant by the 
first two of these, we do know that the Hiddekel is the river 
which we now call “ the Tigris,” and that the Euphrates is 
still called by that name. These rivers are in Asia. We 
know, too, where the land of Havilah, mentioned in verse 
11 is, and the land of Cush, verse 13, for both places were 
familiar in Bible times. Havilah was a part of Arabia, and 
Cush was the land of the people called “ Cushites,” at this 
time the basin of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. 

So, if you look at the map in your school geographies 
which shows Asia, and find the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, 
you will know something about where the first home of man 
was. You will not find the other places given on the nowa¬ 
days maps in your geographies, for they are called by other 
names. 

The home which God gave to man was very beautiful. 
There were all sorts of fruit and shade trees in it. Beautiful 
flowers bloomed everywhere, and there were pleasant streams 
along which the first man, Adam, could walk. There were 
all sorts of animals, too, and God brought them to the man 
one by one, large and small, and to each he gave a name. 
He named all the birds, too, and all the creatures everywhere. 

Adam’s life must have been very busy. There were so 
many things to learn, so many things to do. For we must 
not think that all Adam’s life was play. We must remember 
that God created man in his own image, and that almost the 
first words of the Bible show that God worked. He “ created 
the heavens and the earth.” So, when he made Adam he put 
him in a Garden which he was to tend and to keep in order. 
Genesis 2:15. He had to use his hands. When he named 
the animals he had to use the brain which God had given 
him. He was busy and happy. But he was lonely. The 
animals were friends to him, but there was no other human 
being in the world—no other creature made in God’s image. 
And so God planned to create a helpmeet for Adam, who 
would be his wife. 


16 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

The: Geography op the: Lesson 

Havilah. A district of Arabia, rich in gold, aromatic 
gums, and precious stones. 

Cush. A territory in the great basin drained by the Tigris 
and Euphrates Rivers. 

Hiddekel, or Tigris. This river rises in central Armenia. 
Its whole course to its junction with the Euphrates is eleven 
hundred and forty-six miles. In ancient times it flowed into 
the Persian Gulf. 

Euphrates. This is one of the greatest rivers in the 
world. Its length is about eighteen hundred miles. The He¬ 
brews called it “ the great river,” or simply “ the river.” It 
was considered a boundary between east and west, between 
Egypt and Assyria-Babylonia, each power desiring to pos¬ 
sess the country between the Euphrates and the Nile. 

Handwork 

Make a garden as beautiful as possible on your sand table. 
Use bits of glass as lakes and ponds, and indicate rivers and 
streams. Use twigs as trees and bushes, and make flowers 
of bits of bright-colored paper. What should you put in the 
very center of the Garden? Genesis 2:9. You will learn 
more about the trees mentioned in this verse in Chapter III. 

% 

Notebook Work 

At the top of the page of your notebook write the chapter 
number and the title of this lesson. Then write the Memory 
Verse. Try to find the picture of the most beautiful place 
that you can—a picture showing a river and trees and 
flowers. Paste this in your notebook, below the Memory 
Verse, to make you think of the Garden of Eden. Under it 
write the words of Genesis 2:9, “ And out of the ground 
made Jehovah God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the 
sight, and good for food.” 

Map Work 

Draw a map showing the position of the Tigris and Eu¬ 
phrates Rivers, and put in the Pishon and the Gihon as you 
imagine them to have been. Draw the rivers that you know 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


17 


about with solid lines, and the rivers that you imagine with 
dotted lines. 

Expressional Activity 

Try this week to thank God in some way for his good 
gifts. Particularly you can thank him for his gifts of food 
and drink. At mealtime say the grace given below in the 
Memory Work. 

Memory Work 

a grace: to learn, to say at the: table: 

Lord Jesus, be our holy Guest, 

Our morning Joy, our evening Rest; 

And with our daily bread impart 
Thy love and peace to every heart. 

—The Book of Common Worship. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

ADAM AND EVE IN THE GARDEN 
Genesis 2:21-25 
The: Memory Verse 

“ Thus saith Jehovah ... I have made the earth, and 
created man upon it.”—Isaiah 45:11, 12. 

The Lesson Story 

God saw that Adam, the man whom he had created, was 
lonely without other human beings, even in the beautiful 
Garden of Eden, and so he made for him a helpmeet, a 
woman, who, because she was to be the mother of all living 
people, was called “ Eve.” 

Adam and Eve must have been very happy there in the 
Garden. Each morning when they awoke they had some¬ 
thing new to do. They had the beautiful garden with all its 
trees, to tend. The fruit for food must be selected. They 
must have enjoyed watching the animals, to which Adam had 
given names, learning about them and the way in which 



18 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


they lived. All day long there was something new to do, 
something new to learn. 

And then, in the cool of the day, after their work and play 
were done, something wonderful would happen. God him¬ 
self would talk with them in the Garden. 

And God had been so kind to them! He had given them 
so much freedom. They could go wherever they wanted to 
go in the Garden. They could do whatever they wanted to 
do. They could eat the fruit of every tree—except one tree. 
That tree was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, 
which stood in the middle of the Garden, the fruit of that 
one tree they were not to touch. But they had so much else 
that was new around them, and so many other kinds of fruit 
for food that they did not mind this command. They did 
not touch the forbidden fruit. They lived happily and busily 
in the wonderful Garden which God had given them. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Class 

We can speak to God in prayer and he will talk to us 
through our teachers and through his Word, the Bible. 

When we are busy with pleasant work we are usually 
happy. If we are busy doing the things that it is right for 
us to do, we will not have time to want to do the things that 
are wrong. 

Adam and Eve worked and played and talked to God each 
day. It would be well for us, too, to work and play and talk 
to God each day. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

When we do God’s will and try to obey him, we shall find 
that we are happiest. 

A Story of a Day in the Garden 

Eve wakened quickly as the sun rose over the eastern 
horizon. Quickly she ran to the brook and bathed. She was 
so glad to be alive ! Adam, too, sprang up, and together they 
walked through the forest. 

“ There is fruit that looks good,” Eve would say. “ What 
shall we call it ? ” 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


19 


“ And there is a little animal that I do not remember to 
have seen before. What shall its name be?” Adam would 
say. Then he would pick the little creature up in his hand, 
and smooth its fur and pet it. Perhaps he would name it 
“ mouse,” or “ mole.” 

And so they would go through the Garden. Sometimes 
they would stop to tie up a grapevine whose fruit was weigh¬ 
ing it down, or to prop up the limb of an apple tree, or to 
plant the seed of the fruit they had eaten. They would 
watch a lion and her cubs, playing as gently as kittens; or 
perhaps a friendly elephant would lift Adam in his trunk so 
that he could reach the highest branches of a tall tree. 
Everything was friendly. They were afraid of nothing in 
all God’s great, good world, though there were animals much 
larger than we know now, queer horses, and mastodons, and 
other creatures which fed on the tops of trees. 

So the days passed happily by. In the evening God came 
to the Garden and talked with his children, telling them what 
they should do. And at night when they went to sleep they 
were happy, because the day had been well spent in doing 
those things which God wanted them to do. So God wants 
his people to live—busy and happy and obedient to his teach¬ 
ing all day long. And we to-day can live in this way, just 
as Adam and Eve did. 

A Modern Account oe the Region Where the Garden 
oe Eden Is Supposed to Have Been 

“ One unoccupied morning I went over to an island on the 
river. Its cool, restful look had attracted me on the day I 
arrived, and it quite fulfilled its promise. Indeed, it was 
the only place I came across in Mesopotamia that might have 
been a surviving fragment of the Garden of Eden. It was 
nearly a mile long, and scattered about on it were seven or 
eight thick-walled and well-fortified houses. The entire 
island was one great palm grove, with pomegranates, apri¬ 
cots, figs, orange trees, and grapevines growing beneath the 
palms. The grass at the foot of the trees was dotted with 
blue and pink flowers. Here and there were fields of spring 
wheat. 

“ In the early morning hours the country was lovely— 


20 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


rolling grass land ‘ with a hint of hills behind ’—miles of 
daisies with clusters of blood-red poppies scattered through 
them—and occasional hollows carpeted with a brilliant blue 
flower. In the river courses there were numbers of bril¬ 
liantly hued birds—the gayest colors I saw in Mesopotamia, 
with the exception of the vivid arsenic-green birds around 
Ana on the Euphrates. In one place I thought that the 
ground was covered with red flowers, but a close inspection 
proved it to be myriads of tiny red insects swarming on the 
grass stems.’’ 

“ War in the Garden of Eden ”— Kermit Roosevelt. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

HOW GOD WANTS US TO LIVE 
I Thessalonians 5:15; John 5 :17; Luke 11 :1, 2 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

God gave to Adam and Eve a home in the beautiful Gar¬ 
den of Eden. He gave to them every good and perfect gift. 
He made them in his own image. He knew that they would 
not be happy if their days were spent in idleness, and so he 
gave them work to do, as well as the pleasures that they 
found in their beautiful home. Then, after the day’s work 
and pleasure were done, when evening had come, he himself 
talked to them in the Garden. That is the way in which God 
wants us to live. We must work with our hands; we must 
study ; we must play; we must talk to him in prayer. In that 
way we shall grow mentally and physically and spirituallv. 
We shall grow as Jesus grew, “ in wisdom and stature, and 
in favor with God and men.” 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we want to do with our lives as you 
would have us do. Help us to pass our days in doing useful 
things and in helping others. Let us remember to talk to you 
in prayer. Let us listen to the messages given to us in the 
Bible, your Word to us, and those given through our parents 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 21 

and teachers. Help us to live aright. For Jesus’ sake. 
Amen. 

Verses for Use in the: Meeting 

I Samuel 2:26; Luke 1:80; 2:52; James 1:17; I Peter 
5 :7; Luke 13 :14; John 9 :4. 

Hymns for Use in the Meeting 

“ Come, My Soul, Thou Must Be Waking.” 

“ Father, Lead Me Day by Day.” 

“ Now to Heaven Our Prayer Ascending.” 

“ In the Child Garden.” (“ In the Garden, in the Gar¬ 
den of Jesus.”) 

“ When O’er Earth Is Breaking.” 

“ To Thy Temple I Repair.” 

“ Heavenly Father, We Would Thank Thee.” 

“ Night and Day.” (“ Oh! How Lovely Is the Night! ”) 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Name three divisions which we may make in our wak¬ 
ing time. 

2. Mention some ways in which you can serve God ac¬ 
ceptably. 

3. When you are obedient to your parents and teach¬ 
ers, are you serving God acceptably? 

4. When you do errands willingly are you doing them for 
God? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Work Which Juniors Can Do. 

2. Talking to God. 

3. Working for God. 

4. The Kind of Play God Wants. 

5. How We Should Treat Others in Work and Play. 

To Read in the Meeting 

“ All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. 

All play and no work make Jack a dull shirk.” 

Adam and Eve worked and played and talked to God. 


22 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

« 

They did as he told them to do. They depended upon him 
absolutely. We, too, can cast all our troubles and cares upon 
him, being sure that he will do those things that are best 
for us. 

Our lives should be lived as God wills, and we can find out 
what he wills by reading the Bible. 

“ Be with us, O Father dear, 

Every night and day; 

Let us walk as in thy fear, 

Hear us when we pray; 

Show us how to walk aright, , 

Lift our thoughts above; 

Keep us ever in thy sight, 

Blessed Lord of love.” 


CHAPTER III 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE STORY OF THE TEMPTATION 

Genesis 3:1-7 
The: Mkmory Ve:rse 

“ The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom.” 

—Proverbs 1:7. 


The: Le:sson Story 

Adam and Eve were busy and happy in their beautiful 
home in the Garden of Eden. And then one day, something 
happened which changed their happiness to sorrow. 

You remember, do you not, that God had told his children 
that they might eat the fruit of every tree in the Garden ex¬ 
cept one tree—the tree in the midst of the Garden, the tree 
of the knowledge of good and evil. You would have thought 
that Adam and Eve could surely have obeyed this one com¬ 
mand—that they would have done as God wanted them to 
do. And yet when the very first temptation to disobedience 
came, they yielded. 

One day as Eve was alone in the Garden, the serpent came 
to her—the serpent which, the Bible tells us, was the most 
cunning of all the beasts which God had made. 

He came to Eve with a question, a question that seemed 
harmless enough, “ Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of 
any tree of the garden ? ” 

Eve answered that God had told them not to eat the fruit 
of the tree that was in the midst of the Garden. If they did 
eat, she said, God had told them that they would die. 

“ You shall not surely die,” the serpent told her. “ God 
knows that if you do eat the fruit of that tree you shall 
know good and evil as he does, so he does not want you 
to eat it.” 

The serpent, you see, began his words to Eve with a false- 

23 


24 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


hood. God had told Adam and Eve that if they ate the fruit 
of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they should die. 
Now the serpent contradicted this. “Ye shall not surely 
die,’’ he said. 

Eve should not have listened to the serpent. She should 
have remembered that God had been so good to her and 
Adam. She should have told the tempter to go away. But 
instead, she listened. She probably thought that she would 
just go look at the tree. So she went to the midst of the 
Garden. She looked at the tree. The fruit was wonderful. 
It seemed as if it should taste good. The serpent kept tell¬ 
ing her that she would become wise if she ate it. 

Probably she thought at first that she would just look at 
the fruit. Then she may have put out her hand and touched 
it. And at last—she picked it and ate it! 

And to make matters worse, she took some of the fruit 
to Adam and persuaded him to eat it, also! She not only 
sinned herself, but tempted her husband. And so Adam and 
Eve disobeyed God, who had been so good to them. The 
first sin, the sin of disobedience, entered the world, and God’s 
happy children, created in his own image, to whom he had 
given so many wonderful gifts, disobeyed his commands and 
forgot what he had told them to do. They knew that God 
had been very, very good to them. They should have known 
that he knew what it was best for them to do. And yet they 
yielded to the serpent’s urging, and did what God had for¬ 
bidden ! They were no longer happy, innocent human be¬ 
ings, but a man and a woman who had disobeyed. 

Handwork 

Work out more completely on the sand table your model 
of the Garden of Eden. 

Notebook Work 

On a new page of your notebook, write the title of this 
lesson and the Memory Verse. Then write the story in your 
own words. 


Expressionae Activity 

Try this week to be especially obedient to your parents and 
teachers. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 25 

Memory Work 

Learn the words of the old hymn, “ Yield Not to Temp¬ 
tation.” 


A Story to Read 

Long, long ago, when this old world was in its tender in¬ 
fancy, there was a child named Epimetheus, who never had 
either father or mother; and, that he might not be lonely, 
another child, fatherless and motherless like himself, was 
sent from a far country to live with him and be his play¬ 
fellow and helpmate. Her name was Pandora. 

The first thing that Pandora saw when she entered the 
cottage where Epimetheus dwelt was a great box, and almost 
the first question which she put to him after crossing the 
threshold was this: 

“ Epimetheus, what have you in that box? ” 

“ My dear little Pandora,” answered Epimetheus, “ that is 
a secret, and you must be kind enough not to ask any ques¬ 
tions about it. The box was left here to be kept safely, and 
I do not myself know what it contains.” 

“ But who gave it to you ? ” asked Pandora, “ and where 
did it come from? ” 

“ That is a secret, too,” replied Epimetheus. 

“ How provoking! ” exclaimed Pandora, pouting her lip. 
“ I wish the great, ugly box were out of the way! ” 

“ Oh, come, don’t think of it any more,” cried Epimetheus. 
“ Let us run out of doors and have some nice play with the 
other children.” 

It is thousands of years since Epimetheus and Pandora 
were alive, and the world nowadays is a very different sort 
of thing from what it was in their time. Then everybody 
was a child. They needed no fathers and mothers to take 
care of the children, because there was no danger or trouble 
of any kind, and no clothes to be mended, and there was 
always plenty to eat and drink. Whenever a child wanted 
his dinner, he found it growing on a tree; and if he looked 
at the tree in the morning, he could see the expanding blos¬ 
som of that night’s supper, or at eventide he saw the tender 
bud of to-morrow’s breakfast. It was a very pleasant life 
indeed. No labor to be done, no tasks to be studied—noth- 


26 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


ing blit sports and dances, and sweet voices of children talk¬ 
ing or caroling like birds or gushing out in merry laughter 
throughout the livelong day. 

What was most wonderful of all, the children never quar¬ 
reled among themselves, neither had they any crying fits, 
nor, since time first began, had a single one of these little 
mortals ever gone apart into a corner and sulked. Oh, what 
a good time was that to be alive in! The truth is, those ugly 
little winged monsters called Troubles, which are now almost 
as numerous as mosquitoes, had never yet been seen on the 
earth. It is probable that the very greatest disquietude which 
a child had ever experienced was Pandora’s vexation at not 
being able to discover the secret of the mysterious box. . . . 
It was really an endless employment to guess what was in¬ 
side. What could it be, indeed? Just imagine how busy 
your wits would be if there were a great box in the house 
which, as you might have reason to suppose, contained some¬ 
thing new and pretty for your Christmas or New Year’s 
gifts. Do you think that you should be less curious than Pan¬ 
dora? If you were left alone with the box, might you not 
feel a little tempted to lift the lid? But you would not do it. 
Oh, fie! No, no! Only, if you thought there were toys in it, 
it would be so very hard to let slip an opportunity of taking 
just one peep! I know not whether Pandora expected any 
toys, for none had yet begun to be made, probably, in those 
days, when the world itself was one great plaything for the 
children that dwelt upon it. But Pandora was convinced 
that there was something very beautiful and valuable in the 
box, and therefore she felt just as anxious to take a peep as 
any of these little girls here around me would have felt, and 
possibly a little more so; but of that I am not quite so 
certain. 

On this particular day, however, her curiosity grew so 
much greater than it usually was that at last she approached 
the box. She was more than half-determined to open it if 
she could. Ah, naughty Pandora! 

Epimetheus himself, although he said very little about it, 
had his own share of curiosity to know what was inside. 
Perceiving that Pandora was resolved to find out the secret, 
he determined that his playfellow should not be the only wise 
person in the cottage. And if there were anything pretty or 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


27 


valuable in the box, he meant to take half of it to himself. 
Thus, after all his sage speeches to Pandora about restrain¬ 
ing her curiosity, Epimetheus turned out to be quite as 
foolish, and nearly as much in fault, as she. So, whenever 
we blame Pandora for what happened, we must not forget 
to shake our heads at Epimetheus likewise. . . . 

As Pandora raised the lid the cottage grew very dark and 
dismal, for a black cloud had now swept quite over the sun 
and seemed to have buried it alive. There had, for a little 
while past, been a low growling and muttering, which all at 
once broke into a heavy peal of thunder. But Pandora, 
heeding nothing of all this, lifted the lid nearly upright and 
looked inside. It seems as if a sudden swarm of winged 
creatures brushed past her, taking flight out of the box, while 
at the same instant she heard the voice of Epimetheus with 
a lamentable tone, as if he were in pain. 

“ Oh, I am stung! ” cried he. “ I am stung! Naughty 
Pandora, why have you opened this wicked box ? ” 

Pandora let fall the lid, and, starting up, looked about 
her to see what had befallen Epimetheus. The thunder¬ 
cloud had so darkened the room that she could not very 
clearly discern what was in it. But she heard a disagreeable 
buzzing, as if a great many huge flies or gigantic mosquitoes, 
or those insects which we call dor bugs and pinching dogs, 
were darting about. And as her eyes grew more accustomed 
to the imperfect light she saw a crowd of ugly little shapes 
with bats’ wings, looking abominally spiteful, and armed with 
terribly long stings in their tails. It was one of those that 
had stung Epimetheus. Nor was it a great while before 
Pandora herself began to scream in no less pain and affright 
than her playfellow, and making a vast deal more hubbub 
about it. An odious little monster had settled on her fore¬ 
head, and would have stung her I know not how deeply if 
Epimetheus had not run and brushed it away. 

Now, if you wish to know what these ugly things might 
be which had made their escape out of the box, I must tell 
you that they were the whole family of earthly Troubles. 
There were evil Passions; there were a great many species 
of Cares; there were more than a hundred and fifty Sor¬ 
rows ; there were Diseases in a vast number of miserable 
and painful shapes; there were more kinds of Naughtiness 


28 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


than it would be of any use to talk about. In short, every¬ 
thing that has since afflicted the souls and bodies of mankind 
had been shut up in the mysterious box and given to Epi- 
metheus and Pandora to be kept safely, in order that the 
happy children of the world might never be molested by 
them. Had they been faithful to their trust, all would have 
gone well. No grown person would ever have been sad, nor 
any child have had cause to shed a single tear from that hour 
until this moment.—From “A Wonder Book,” by Nathaniel 
Hawthorne. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

HIDING FROM GOD 
Genesis 3 :8-15 
The Memory Verse 

“ Can any hide himself in secret places so that I shall not 
see him? saith Jehovah.”—Jeremiah 23 :24a. 

The Lesson Story 

Have you ever been disobedient? Have you ever done 
something during the day which you knew would make your 
father unhappy and worried ? How did you feel when it 
was time for him to come home from business? Did you 
run to meet him, saying, “ O father, I’ve had such a good 
time to-day ” ? 

You remember how you felt, I know. Adam and Eve 
must have felt very much like that after they had eaten the 
fruit of the forbidden tree. 

In the evening God walked in the Garden. He had come 
to talk to the human beings whom he had made. But before 
he had spoken a word to them, they hid from him. The 
little voice in their hearts, which we call conscience, had 
spoken to them. They had eaten the fruit of the tree of the 
knowledge of good and evil. They knew that they had 
sinned, and that they deserved punishment. 

“ Where art thou ? ” God called to Adam. 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


29 


“ I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, be¬ 
cause I was naked,” Adam answered. 

“ How did you know that you were naked ? ” God said. 
“ Have you eaten of the fruit of the forbidden tree? ” 

“ The woman whom you gave me gave of the fruit,” Adam 
excused himself. 

God turned to the woman. “ What is this that you have 
done ? ” he asked of her. 

Then Eve told God how the serpent had tempted her, and 
how she had yielded to his temptations. 

God was sorry that his human children had disobeyed him. 
He had to punish them; he had to punish the serpent. You 
can find the punishment of the serpent if you read verses 
14, 15 of the lesson. He was to be cursed above all the 
creatures in the world. He was to crawl in the dust. He 
was to be hated by human beings always. 

Adam and Eve were punished by being sent out from the 
Garden. They knew now the difference between good and 
evil. They had worked before this, but now there would be 
toil and suffering with their work. They had disobeyed God, 
and so they were punished. 

As God sent the first human beings out from their home 
in the beautiful Garden of Eden, he closed it to them by 
placing cherubim with flaming swords at the east of the 
Garden. He did not want human beings to eat the fruit of 
the tree of eternal life as they had eaten the fruit of the tree 
of the knowledge of good and evil. 

And yet, even in those early days, just after man’s sin and 
Fall, God spoke a few words in which we see the promise of 
a Saviour, who should bring to the people of the world the 
hope of eternal life in the world to come. God said to the 
serpent, “ He shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise 
his heel,” and these words are a prophecy of the coming of 
Christ the Messiah, thousands of years later. 

Putting the: Lesson Into the: Life of the Class 

When we have disobeyed our parents or teachers, the little 
voice within speaks to us and makes us afraid to see them, 
as Adam and Eve were afraid to see God. 

It is wrong even to listen to those who want us to dis- 


30 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


obey. If we do not listen to the first word of temptation, 
we shall not yield to it. 

It is wrong to listen to anyone who tempts us, but it is 
still more wicked to try to tempt others to disobedience. A 
person who has done wrong thinks of that wrongdoing con¬ 
stantly and it prevents his enjoyment of the good things that 
God has given us. 

When we sin, we deserve punishment. 

Even in the beginning, God planned to send a Saviour to 
help his children of the world. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

When we have done wrong, a little voice within speaks 
to us; we are ashamed and want to hide from the person 
whom we have wronged. We should try to do right 
always and then we shall be courageous, for right-doing 
gives courage. 


A Story to Read 

“ Now, boys, remember! I don’t want you to go in swim¬ 
ming in the pond this week while I am away. There is a re¬ 
port that the water is bad, and I don’t want either of you to 
be ill next week, so that we should have to give up our trip.” 

Jim and Ned nodded. All summer they had been looking 
forward to that trip with father, to the camp on the island 
where they were to have two weeks’ holiday before school 
began. What fishing and crabbing there would be, and 
swimming in the cold, clear waters of the bay, and ocean 
bathing besides ! Oh, it was going to be lots of fun ! 

And then, the next morning it was hot. 

“ Come on, fellows, we’re going in swimming! ” shouted 
Tom Nelson. 

“ Can’t. Father doesn’t want us to go because the water 
in the pond is not pure,” said Jimmie. 

“ Oh, it is! ” said Tom. “ My father says it’s all right. 
It won’t hurt us! ” 

“ It is hot,” Jimmie thought. “ Perhaps father was mis¬ 
taken. Mr. Nelson ought to know. He’s a politician.” He 
wiped the perspiration from his forehead. It would be cool 
in the water. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


31 


“ Come on, Ned. Let’s go with the fellows,” he suddenly 
decided. 

Ned was younger than Jim. He usually followed his lead¬ 
ership. And so, when Jim said, “ Come on,” Ned went with 
him. 

It was nice and cool in the water, but for some reason Jim 
and Ned didn’t enjoy their swim so much as usual. As they 
put on their clothes afterwards they were not very happy. 
And that night Neddie began to toss and talk in his sleep and 
mother had to stay up almost all night with him. Jimmie 
was wretched. When the doctor came in the morning he 
shook his head. 

“ It may be only a very bad cold,” he said, “ or it may be 
the fever. There are several cases in town due to the water 
up in the old swimming hole, which is bad.” 

Jimmie felt wretched. He had known about the water in 
the pond. He knew it was bad. Father had told him so. 
Yet he had been persuaded to go in to swim himself and to 
take his little brother! And now Neddie was sick. They 
couldn’t go on their trip and perhaps Neddie might die— 
people did die of fever. 

It was a very sober little boy who went out to meet father 
when he heard his whistle, as he came up the street that 
night. 

“What’s the matter, Jim? Where’s Ned?” was father’s 
cheery greeting. 

“ Ned’s sick, and it’s all my fault,” sobbed Jim. And then 
he told the whole story. 

Father looked very sober. He was worried about Neddie, 
and he, too, had counted on the trip. He hurried into the 
house to hear what mother had to say. 

That night, when the doctor came he said that Neddie did 
not have the fever, but only a very bad cold. Father called 
Jim to him. 

“Jim,” he said, “I wonder if you understand now how 
important it is to obey. You knew that I had forbidden you 
to go into the pond, and yet you yourself went, and you per¬ 
suaded Neddie to go, too. Perhaps he might have had the 
fever and died. As it is, we may have to give up our trip. 
Do you think, Jimmie, that you have learned a lesson ? Poor 
little Ned is the one who is most punished, but I hope that 


32 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


both of you will understand better after this what obedience 
means and how disobedience brings its own punishment.” 

And as Jimmie went to bed, he thought soberly that he 
did understand how much disobedience costs. 

EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

PLEASING AND DISPLEASING GOD 

Luke 2:40-52 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

We Juniors are just about the age of Jesus when he went 
to the passover feast at Jerusalem when he was twelve years 
old. We know that he had pleased God always, and from 
what we know of him we know one way in which we, too, 
may please God. When he returned home to Nazareth, he 
was “subject” to his parents; that is, he was obedient to 
them. So if we, too, learn the lesson of obedience to parents 
and teachers, we shall please God. Jesus obeyed: Adam and 
Eve disobeyed. Jesus did not yield when the Devil tempted 
him. Adam and Eve yielded when the serpent tempted them, 
and so brought suffering and sin into the world. Let us ask 
God for help in times of temptation. 

The Ceass Prayer 

The Lord’s Prayer repeated by all. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Matthew 4:2-4; Hebrews 4:15; Jeremiah 23:24; Psalm 
64:2; James 1:12; I Corinthians 10:13; Matthew 26:41; 
James 1:22a; I Thessalonians 4:1. 

Hymns for Use in the Meeting 

“ Yield Not to Temptation.” 

“ When We Walk with the Lord.” 

“ I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go, Dear Lord.” 

“ Now to Heaven Our Prayer Ascending.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. What two trees in the Garden of Eden are especially 
mentioned ? 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


33 


2. How can a Junior please God? 

3. Name five ways ir which you can please God to-day. 

4. Name five ways in which you will please God to-day. 

5. Which of these opposite things are pleasing to God: 
obedience or disobedience; truth or falsehood; honesty or 
dishonesty; unkind speech or kind words ? 

6. Are you keeping God’s Commandments? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Why Is It Wicked to Tempt Others? 

2. Why Is It Wrong to Listen to Those Who Want Us 
to Disobey? 

3. The Example of Perfect Obedience. 

4. Keeping God’s Commandments. 

5. The Two 1 Trees in the Garden of Eden. 

6. How Jesus Met Temptation. 

7. How Juniors Can Best Meet Temptation. 

To Read in the Meeting 

The perfect Example for all Juniors to follow is Jesus, 
the Saviour of the world. 

The disobedience of Adam and Eve brought suffering to 
many others besides themselves. Sometimes when we do 
something that we should not do, we say, “ Oh, it won’t 
harm anyone but myself.” But usually some one else is 
harmed, too, or given trouble. Suppose you eat too much 
ice cream, when you have been warned not to. You yourself 
are ill, it is true, but probably mother has a great deal of 
extra work, and father has to pay a doctor bill, and alto¬ 
gether you make a great deal of trouble because of yielding 
to temptation. 

The sins and disobedience of anyone in the world cause 
trouble to others. “ For none of us liveth to himself.” 

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament tell us 
that God wants obedience more than sacrifice. “To obey is 
better than sacrifice.” 

Shakspere says, “ Conscience doth make cowards of us 
all.” This means that when we have done wrong, we are 
afraid because we know that we deserve punishment. 



CHAPTER IV 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

CAIN AND ABEL 
Genesis 4:3-15 
The Memory Verse 

“ Love suffereth long, and is kind.”—I Corinthians 13:4a. 

The Lesson Story 

Though Adam and Eve had been sent out from the beau¬ 
tiful Garden of Eden they had all the rest of the world from 
which to choose a place for their home. They must have 
found life very different from what it had been before, as 
they wandered through the forests of great trees and along 
the shores of rivers. No longer was everything friendly. 
They had anxiety and trouble. They had suffering, and the 
work they had to do was hard. 

By and by a son was born to them. They named him Cain, 
a word which means “ forged instruments,” or “ smith.” 
When a second son was born, he was called Abel, which 
means “ breath.” 

As the two boys grew to manhood, Cain became a farmer 
and Abel became a shepherd, a keeper of sheep. The two 
young men were quite different, as brothers often are. Cain 
was quick-tempered; Abel probably liked to lead his sheep 
quietly to pasture and to spend the long days peacefully and 
undisturbed. Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, made up the 
first family. Perhaps it was not a happy family even from 
the first, for Cain and Abel were so different that they may 
not have agreed with each other even when they were boys. 

Though Adam and Eve had disobeyed God, they wor¬ 
shiped him, and they taught their children to make offer¬ 
ings to him. Once when Cain and Abel were grown up, Cain 

34 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


35 


brought to offer to God a gift of the fruit of the ground; 
Abel brought as a gift the best of his flock of sheep. 

For some reason Cain did not make his offering in the 
right spirit. He begrudged it. He did not want to give an 
offering to God. On the other hand, Abel was grateful to 
God. He made his gift with a thankful heart. And so God 
was pleased with Abel’s offering. He was displeased with 
that of Cain. At this Cain was angry. God spoke to him 
kindly, and told him why his offering was not acceptable. 
He told him that his heart was not right. Instead of being 
sorry for his feeling, and trying to become better-tempered, 
Cain became more and more angry. He became angry at 
Abel, his brother, for no reason whatever, except his own 
evil spirit. He thought so long about the matter that one 
day he deliberately plotted to harm Abel. He called him 
out into the field, and killed him. So far from God had 
jealousy led the child of the first human beings. 

Of course God knew what Cain had done, but he gave 
him a chance to confess his sin. 

“ Where is Abel thy brother? ” lie asked. 

Cain had already committed the sins of jealousy and mur¬ 
der. Now he added a lie to his other sins. 

“ I know not,” he said. “ Am I my brother’s keeper? ’’ 

God must have been grieved at Cain’s reply. He knew 
that Cain was sinning and must be punished. 

“ I know that you have killed your brother,” God told 
Cain. His voice must have been stern by this time. “ And 
you must be punished. You must go away from your home 
here. You must be a wanderer on the face of the earth. 
The earth shall not yield food to you easily as it has done up 
to this time. If you plant seed your crop will be uncertain. 
That shall be your punishment.” 

To Cain it seemed that his punishment was more than he 
could bear. He knew that he was a fugitive and a wanderer, 
and that he might be killed at any time. He was afraid. 
God promised him, however, that he should not be slain. 
“ Jehovah appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him 
should smite him.” What that sign was we do not know, 
though people speak even to-day of the “ mark of Cain,” 
when they describe a person who bears the marks of evil. 

And so, Cain, marked by God’s displeasure, went out into 


36 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


the world still farther than his parents, Adam and Eve, 
had gone. Because of their sins, human beings were getting 
farther and farther away from the beautiful first home of 
the human race, the Garden of Eden. 

Handwork 

Copy on the blackboard the words which the prophet 
Samuel spoke to the people of Israel: “To obey is better 
than sacrifice.” 


Notebook Work 

Enter this story in your notebook. Then write down the 
names of the members of the family of Adam and Eve 
whom we know. The two oldest sons were Cain and Abel. 
Later there was another son whose name was Seth, and 
other children whose names we do not know. Adam lived 
to be nine hundred and thirty years old; Seth lived to be nine 
hundred and twelve years old. Copy all these facts in your 
notebook, so that you will remember them. 

Expressional Activity 

Do you ever quarrel with your own brothers and sisters ? 
Try to live peaceably with them this week, remembering the 
words of the Memory Verse, “ Love suffereth long, and is 
kind.” 

Memory Work 

Learn the words of the Apostle Paul: “ Let not the sun go 
down upon your wrath.” 

SUNDAY SESSION 

THE SIN AT THE DOOR 
I Peter 5 :7, 8 
The Memory Verse 

“ Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire! ” 

—James 3:5. 

The Lesson Story 

God was pleased with the gift that Abel brought him, 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


37 


but he was not pleased with that of Cain. And the reason 
that he was not pleased with Cain’s offering was that Cain’s 
heart was not right. Sin was there. God said to him, “ Sin 
coucheth at the door.” 

Can you see the picture which these words bring before 
our eyes ? The word “ coucheth ” is used about wild beasts, 
ready to spring. Think of sin as a wild beast, ready to spring 
upon us, waiting for a chance to attack when we are not 
watching. If we conquer that sin when it is little, as we 
might tame a lion’s cub, we shall have very little trouble. 
But if we let the cub grow, until it becomes a full-grown, 
man-eating lion, we are not able to conquer it. When it 
springs upon us, unless we have help from God, we are lost. 

So it was with Cain’s sin. At first it was ingratitude. 
For some reason he did not want to give his gift to the Lord. 
Then jealousy came into his heart because God was pleased 
more with Abel’s offering than with his. The lion’s cub was 
growing larger and larger. Then Cain killed his brother. 
The cub had become a man-eater. And finally Cain lied to 
God, and denied responsibility for what had happened to 
Abel. So his sin made him like a beast, hunted and hated 
by everyone, and dangerous to all. 

That is what sin does. If we do not choke it when it is 
small; if we let it grow day after day, soon the time comes 
when we cannot help ourselves. Bad habits grow. They 
become our masters. If you say, “ Just this once I will 
break my resolution,” you will soon find that “ just this 
once ” becomes many, many times, and that your resolution 
is valueless. If you let bad temper get control of you, and 
yield to it once, you will find that you yield more easily a 
second time and a third time. The way to treat sin is to 
choke it when you first find that it is attacking you; when 
you first see it couching at the door of your heart; to kill 
it before it gets so strong that you cannot master it. 

So, in the very first pages of the Bible, we are taught this 
lesson: Learn to conquer yourself. Do not let sin be your 
master. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Class 

A sin that seems little in itself often leads to a greater sin. 
Did you ever know about a case where a boy or a girl 


38 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


neglected to study a lesson, and then cheated to get a good 
mark? Forgetting to study a lesson was carelessness, but in 
that case the sin of cheating was far greater than the sin of 
carelessness. The smaller sin had led to the greater sin. 

There is a story of a small boy who went to his mother 
and asked if he might have a cooky. 

“ Just one,” she answered. 

But when she went to the cake box that night the cookies 
were all gone. 

“Why, Bobbie,” she said, “did you eat all the cookies? 
I told you to take only one.” 

“ Well, mother,” he answered, “ I did take only one, but I 
took one a great many times.” 

That is the way it is with sins. We yield to temptation 
“ just once,” and “ just once,” and “ just once,” and sud¬ 
denly we find that we have yielded a great many times, and 
our good resolution is valueless. 

Punishment followed Cain’s sin. So punishment always 
follows sin, and often it seems to us as it seemed to Cain, 
greater than we can bear. 


The: Lesson Truth in Your Lite 

If we always try to do that which is right, and never yield 
even once to the temptation to do wrong, we shall find it be¬ 
coming more and more easy to resist temptation. 

To Read with the Lesson 

There is an old legend which tells of a man who was fish¬ 
ing in the Arabian Sea. As he drew in his net one day he 
discovered that, instead of a fish, he had caught a bottle of 
wonderful glass, sealed with a wonderful seal. 

At first he was happy in just admiring his treasure. Then 
he began to wonder about its contents. 

“ What can be inside ? ” he thought. 

At last he broke the seal and opened the bottle. And out 
poured a great mass of smoke which, as it rose in the air, 
took the form of a huge jinn, or evil spirit. 

“ Have mercy, have mercy, on me, O King Solomon,” 
called the jinn. 

“ I am not King Solomon,” answered the terrified man. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


.39 


“ I am only a poor fisherman, who just chanced to draw in 
the bottle in my net. King Solomon has been dead for many 
years.” 

“ Then I will kill you,” said the jinn. “ I am afraid of no 
one in the world but King Solomon. You shall die! ” And 
he seemed so big and threatening that the poor fisherman 
trembled with fear. But still he was clever, and he thought 
of a plan which was worth trying. 

“A great jinn like you could never have been hidden in 
such a small bottle,” he managed to mutter. 

“ I was hidden there. I will show you,” said the jinn. 
And he went back into the bottle, just to “ show off ” to the 
fisherman, who sealed him up tightly in the bottle again, and 
then threw it back into the sea. 

This is only an old story, as you know, but it shows how 
people everywhere have recognized the truth that a little sin, 
if it is not choked back quickly, will grow so that it can be¬ 
come master of us. The fisherman conquered the jinn, and 
put him in the place where he could do the least harm. If 
we choke back our sins, they will have less and less power 
over us, and we shall be their masters, instead of letting 
them master us. We can’t do this alone. Who will help us? 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR OTHERS 
I Corinthians 12:12-21 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

When God asked Cain about his brother Abel, Cain an¬ 
swered with another question, “ Am I my brother’s keeper ?” 
That question we, who live since the days of Jesus, can an¬ 
swer better than he could do. Cain was his brother’s keeper. 
He was responsible for what he had done. So we, to-day, 
are responsible for what goes on in the world. “ For none 
of us liveth to himself.” We are all parts of one body, as 
the Apostle Paul said. We Juniors do not have the respon¬ 
sibility that we shall have when we grow up, but we can 
begin now, right away, to learn the lessons that we shall need 



40 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


to know when we are grown up, and are the people who 
must do the work of the world. We are not to interfere 
with others who are doing their duty in the world. We are 
to see to it that nothing we do interferes with their rights. 
We are to look out for the “ little fellows ”—those who are 
younger and not so strong as we are; and as we are com¬ 
manded to love everyone in the world, we shall see to it that 
those we love are treated fairly. 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we know that you want us to love 
one another, and that if we do this, we shall be sure to look 
out for the rights of others and to help them when they need 
help. Make us thoughtful of others, we pray, and help us 
to help them. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Hebrews 11:4; 12:24; I Corinthians 8:13; I John 3 :11-16; 
4:21; II Corinthians 5:14. 

Hymns for Use in the Meeting 

“If Your Heart Keeps Right.” 

“ What Are You Doing for Others? ” 

“ Children of the Lord. (“ Do No Sinful Action.”) 

“ In Our Work and in Our Play.” 

“ Little Children, Love Each Other.” 

“ Guard, My Child, Thy Tongue.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. What are some ways in which a Junior can make his 
home happy? 

2. In what ways do you think that Cain was different 
from Abel? 

3. In what ways was Cain’s sacrifice different from 
Abel’s ? 

4. Why did Cain hate Abel ? 

5. How can a Junior be responsible for others? 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 41 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Punishment of Cain. 

2. My Responsibility for Others. 

3. My Responsibility in Keeping School Rules. 

4. My Responsibility in Keeping Home Rules. 

5. How a Junior Can Be His Brother’s Keeper. 

6. How the Way I Keep Rules Helps or Hinders Others. 

7. How Cain’s Sin Grew. 

8. The Second Sin Which Came Into the World. 

9. The Sin to Which Jealousy Led. 

To Read in the Meeting 

Sometimes you take care of your little brother or sister, 
for mother. Then you are truly your brother’s keeper. 
Perhaps he runs away or hurts himself when you are not 
watching so carefully as you should do. What do you say 
to mother when she asks you how the trouble happened ? 

Envy led Cain to the sin of murder. If you are envious 
and jealous of some one else, master your jealousy when the 
sin is little. Don’t let the sin grow so strong that it masters 
you. 

When you are older you will take a share in making the 
laws of our country. Perhaps you may think that some of 
the laws do not affect you at all, but you must see to it that 
the laws are made so that everyone has justice, so you will 
vote for good laws, and see that there are good men to carry 
them out. 

It is not the value of the offering that the Lord judges, 
but the heart of the giver. 

It is said that the first hospital in the world was founded 
at the city of Ephesus, where the apostle John had preached 
that God is love. Not long afterwards, in the same city, the 
first orphanage was established. 


CHAPTER V 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE FAMILY OF ADAM AND EVE 
Genesis 4:16, 20-22; 5:22-24, 27 
Tiik Memory Verse 

“ Enoch walked with God.”—Genesis 5 :24. 

The Lesson Story 

Cain was sent away from his home and from his mother 
and father. He wandered alone for a time. Finally he came 
to a land east of the Garden of Eden, which the Bible calls 
“ the land of Nod.” There he built a city—the first city of 
which the Bible tells—which he called “ Enoch.” Here he 
gathered together other people, for there were many more 
men and women in the world now, and there he lived for 
many years. 

Cain had a descendant named Lamech. Lamech had three 
sons, Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-cain. These three sons were 
inventors. They are all noted for having first made some¬ 
thing which has been of great value to human beings. 

Jabal, Genesis 4:20, is called “ the father of such as dwell 
in tents,” and this is supposed to mean that he was the first 
who made a tent from the skins of animals, to use as a pro¬ 
tection from the wind and the rain. Even to-day in the 
East, tents of skin are used by the bands of wandering 
Bedouins who have no settled homes, but who travel with 
their great herds of cattle and sheep wherever they can find 
good pasture land. 

Jubal, the second son of Lamech, who is mentioned in 
verse 21, is called “ the father of all such as handle the harp 

42 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


43 


and pipe.” He was the inventor of musical instruments— 
the harp which was played by shepherds in those early days, 
and also the pipe, which the shepherds used, too. The 
word “ jubilee ” comes from the name “ Jubal.” Look up 
its meaning in the dictionary. 

But it is to Tubal-cain that the greatest honor is due. 
Tubal-cain was the first man who learned the secret of forg¬ 
ing metal—of making cutting instruments of brass and iron. 
That was a great advance in man’s civilization, for before 
those days there had been no weapons with which to fight 
wild beasts, nothing but crude stone tools with which to cut 
down the trees of the forest or to build boats or shelters 
from the weather. The discovery of how to forge metals 
meant victory over wild animals. It meant victory over hu¬ 
man enemies, too, and so Lamech, the father of Tubal-cain, 
sang a song which is called “ The Song of the Sword,” in 
which he says that now he can slay anyone who has injured 
him. He boasts of what his son has done, and shows that 
he has forgotten completely how God had punished his an¬ 
cestor, Cain, for his murder of Abel. 

So the descendants of Cain made three sorts of discov¬ 
eries. They found a way of sheltering themselves from 
storms and from cold. They discovered new weapons with 
which to fight their enemies. They invented musical instru¬ 
ments, with which to' amuse themselves. And all these 
things were good. They were gifts of God to human beings, 
for God gave to human beings the brains and the ability to 
invent and to discover. 

Adam’s third son, Seth, had descendants, too. One of 
these descendants was Enoch, who was a good man—a man 
who lived an honorable life, so that he is said to have 
“ walked with God.” Enoch lived for three hundred and 
sixty-five years, and then one day “he was not; for God 
took him.” 

Enoch’s son, Methuselah, is the oldest man who is named 
in the Bible. He lived to be nine hundred and sixty-nine 
years old. Methuselah left a son, Lamech, who must not be 
confused with Lamech the father of Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal- 
cain. Lamech had a son, Noah; Noah had three sons, Shem, 


44 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Ham, and Japheth, of whom we shall learn more in our 
next lesson. 


Handwork 

Have you ever made a willow whistle? If you have, you 
know something about making a simple pipe. Take a piece 
of willow twig about as thick as a man’s thumb, and two or 
three inches long. Make a notch about halfway down. 
Loosen the thin bark so that you can pull out the inside 
wood. Shave off a small part of the wood from the notch 
up, and then slip the inside back into the bark covering. See 
if you can whistle on this pipe. If you cannot do so at first, 
experiment until you succeed. 

Look at the picture of the harp, given in connection with 
this lesson, and try to make something similar. Probably 
you will not be able to make any sound on the harp, but you 
can make the model. 



Notebook Work 

Make in your notebook a “ family tree ” that will tell you 
at a glance, something about the descendants of Adam and 
Eve. Make it something like this: 





























JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


45 


ADAM AND EVE had three children 


CAIN ABEE SETH 

CAIN had a descendant named Lamech 
LAMECH had three sons 

JABAL JUBAE TUBAE-CAIN 

ABEE had no children, so far as we know. 

SETH had a descendant named ENOCH, 

ENOCH 


METHUSAEEH 


EAMECH 


NOAH 


Expressionae Activity 

Try this week to cut out a wooden or pasteboard ark 
with your penknife or scissors. As you do this remember 
that Tubal-cain was the first man who worked with metal¬ 
cutting instruments. Take the ark to class for the Sunday 
Session. 


Memory Work 


Learn Psalm 150. 









46 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

SUNDAY SESSION 

THE BUILDING OF THE ARK 
Genesis 6:5 to 7:5 
The Memory Verse 

“Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded 
him, SO' did he.”—Genesis 6:22. 

The Lesson Story 

“ They tell me that old Noah is building a queer-looking 
boat,” said Enosh to Methujael one day. 

“ Yes, he is. He must be crazy, for there isn’t any water 
for miles around. It is such a big boat, too, and so different 
from anything that I’ve ever seen before,” answered 
Methujael. 



“ Let’s go see it,” suggested Enosh. 

So the two boys joined the crowd surrounding the old, 
white-haired patriarch, or father of the family. Though 
everyone was making fun of them, he and his three sons, 
Shem, Ham, and Japheth, went on with their work. Plank 
after plank they put in place; peg after peg they drove. 
The boat was a huge thing, over four hundred feet long, 
seventy-five feet wide, and forty-five feet high. It had 
three stories, which were divided into little rooms, and 







JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


47 


close to the roof, a row of windows. There was one door 
in the side. 

“ He must be insane,” whispered one boy to another. 
“ He will never, never be able to get that boat anywhere 
near water. Why, the great rivers are miles away and I 
have never seen the sea, it is so far.” 

At last Noah paused in his work. It was almost sunset. 
His sons stopped their work, too. He turned to the crowd 
and spoke. 

“ You make sport of me for building this ark,” he said, 
“ but hear my words! The true God whom I worship has 
commanded me to do this. He has told me just how to 
make the boat. I am obeying his commands. Believe my 
words, O people! Repent your sins, or you will be 
punished.” 

But the people laughed still more at the preacher. They 
did not believe his words. Many years had passed since 
the days of Adam and Eve, and Cain and Abel. The men 
and women of the world were becoming more and more 
wicked. God saw that they must be punished. He wanted 
to give a fresh start to the human beings he had made. 

There was only one man whose life pleased God—Noah, 
the son of Lamech, the great-grandson of Enoch. “ Noah 
walked with God,” as his great-grandfather had done. He 
had trained his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth in the 
right way. They all were good men. Noah’s wife was a 
good woman, and so were the wives of his three sons. 

And because Noah was a good man, God planned to save 
his life. He spoke to Noah. 

“ I am going to destroy the people of the world,” he said. 
“ I am going to send a great flood. Now I command thee 
to build an ark. Make it of gopher wood. Cover it with 
pitch, so that it will not leak.” 

Then God told Noah how long he was to make the ark, 
and how wide, and how high. He gave exact directions 
about those who were to be taken into the ark, and about 
the animals, which Noah was to save. 

Noah did exactly as God commanded. He and his sons 
went to the forests. They cut great beams of wood. They 
hauled them to a place where they could build the ark. 

Everyone was curious about what they were doing. 


48 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Noah told them that God was going to send a flood. He 
urged them to repent of their wickedness. At first, there 
must have been a few who listened, but the Flood did not 
come, so they soon forgot to be afraid. 

God did not intend to send the Flood until everything 
was ready. Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth worked 
hard. It took weeks and months to build the great boat and 
make it water-tight. At last it was finished. Then God 
spoke again to Noah. 

“ Come thou and all thy house into the ark,” he said; 
“ for thee have I seen righteous before me in this genera¬ 
tion. Take with you animals and birds of all kinds, so that 
they may be kept alive upon the face of the earth. After 
seven days the rain shall come, and it will rain for forty 
days and forty nights, so that every living thing on the face 
of the earth will be destroyed.” 

Noah believed God’s word. He knew that the message 
which came to him would be fulfilled. And so he did every¬ 
thing that God commanded him to do. 

What the Ark Looked Like 

You all know what the ark looked like, but perhaps you 
do not realize how big it was. It was made of gopher wood, 
which is something like cypress. It was three hundred 
cubits, or about four hundred and fifty feet long. (A cubit 
is the distance between the finger tips and elbow of a man, 
about eighteen inches.) It was seventy-five feet wide, and 
forty-five feet high. There were three stories, each divided 
into little rooms, where the birds and animals were kept. 
Near the top was a window, which ran all along the four 
sides of the ark. There was one door in the side. 

The ark was not a ship, such as we know the meaning of 
the word. There was no means of making it sail, or of 
guiding its course. It simply floated with the tide. Noah 
could not guide its course at all. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Class 

God punished the people of the world in the days of 
Noah because they were so wicked. He saved Noah be¬ 
cause he was obedient, and “ walked ” with him. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


49 


God is pleased when his people of to-day obey him, just 
as he was pleased in the days of Noah. 

When people know the right and refuse to obey it, God 
punishes them. 

When you know the rules which your teacher has made 
for you in school, and absolutely disobey them, you expect 
to be punished if you are found out. God knows always 
when his rules are disobeyed. He knows when people must 
be punished and he punishes because he knows that in this 
way only can the world be made better. 

The: Lesson Truth in Your Lite 

God has made certain laws and when we disobey those 
laws, disobedience is followed by punishment. The only 
way to be sure of happiness is to try in every way to follow 
the rules that God has given to his people. 

Handwork 

Try to make as complete as possible your model of the 
ark. Get a oasteboard box to use as a foundation—a candy 
box will do. Cut a piece of pasteboard, longer and wider 
than the box. Score it lengthwise through the center, and 
bend. Use this as a roof, but do not fasten it on. Mark a 
window near the top of the box, and one down in the side. 
Make three stories inside, and divide into rooms, or nests. 

Notebook Work 

Enter the story of the building of the ark in your note¬ 
book, under Chapter V. 

The Babylonian Story oe the Flood 

Many of the early people in the world had stories of the 
Flood, just as they had stories of the Creation. One of 
these stories that has many points like the Bible account of 
the Flood is the Babylonian story which was discovered 
written on a clay tablet in queer, wedge-shaped letters that 
had been found by the explorers who were investigating 
the ancient ruins found in Babylonia and Assyria. 


50 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Parts of this story are as follows. Gilgamesh takes the 
place of Noah. 

Ut-napishtim spoke to him, to Gilgamesh 
I will reveal to thee, O Gilgamesh, the hidden word, 

And the decision of the gods will I announce to thee. 

Shurippak, a city which thou knowest, 

Which lies on the bank of the Euphrates, 

That city was very old, and the heart of the gods 
Within it drove them to send a flood, the great gods; 

• •••<>•••• 

The lord of Wisdom, Ea, counseled with them 
And repeated their word. 

Leave thy possessions, take thought for thy life, 

Thy property abandon, save thy life, 

Bring living seed of every kind into the ship. 

The ship, that thou shalt build 

So shall be the measure of its dimensions. 

Thus shall correspond its breadth and height 
. . . the ocean, cover it with a roof. 


In its (plan) 120 cubits high on each of its side walls. 

By 120 cubits it corresponded on each edge of the roof. 

I laid down its hull, I enclosed it. 

I built it in six stories. 

I divided it outside (?) in seven parts. 

Its interior I divided into nine parts. 

Water plugs I fastened within it. 

I prepared a rudder, and laid down what was necessary. 
Three sars of bitumen I poured over the outside (?) 

Three sars of bitumen I poured over the inside. 

With all that I had, I filled it (the ship). 

With all that I had of silver, I filled it. 

With all that I had of living things I filled it. 

I brought up into the ship my family and household. 

The cattle of the field, the beasts of the field, craftsmen all 
of them I brought in. 

A fixed time had Shamash appointed (saying) 

“ When the sender of rain sends a heavy rain in the evening, 
Then enter into the ship and close thy door.” 

The appointed time came near. 

The senders of the rain in the evening sent heavy rain. 

The appearance of the weather I observed, 

I feared to behold the weather, 

I entered the ship and closed the door. 

To the ship’s master, to Puzur-Amurri the sailor, 

I intrusted the building with its goods. 

■—From “ Cuneiform Parallels to the 
Old Testament,” by Rogers. 


51 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

DOING RIGHT IN SPITE OF RIDICULE 

Nehemiah 4:1-6 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

When God saw that the people of the world were be¬ 
coming more and more wicked, he knew that they must 
be punished. He found one righteous family in the world 
—the family of Noah, the great-grandson of Enoch. He 
told Noah that every living creature in the world except 
those whom he saved in the ark, must be destroyed. 

But first he gave them a chance to repent. For a hun¬ 
dred and twenty years more he allowed them to go on in 
their own way. In that time Noah built the ark. He must 
have preached to the people. He must have explained to 
them what he was doing. And they made fun of him! 
They did not believe his words! But Noah knew that he 
was right. He did all that God commanded him to do. 

Just so Nehemiah, the leader of the Jews hundreds of 
years later, did what God commafided him to do in spite 
of the enemies who made fun of him. He was build¬ 
ing a wall. They said that it was so weak that even a fox 
running against it could break it down. They tried in every 
way to make him give up his work. But he kept on be¬ 
cause he knew that he was obeying God’s commands. 

Sometimes our friends and schoolmates make fun of us 
when we are trying to do right. They tell us that we are 
tied to “ mother’s apron strings,” or try to persuade us 
that we should enjoy disobeying. Let us be strong to with¬ 
stand those who make fun of us, for this is sometimes 
harder than doing right in big things. Let us ask God to 
help us. 


The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we ask thee to help us when we 
are tempted to do wrong because others laugh at us for 
doing right. Make us eager to do as Noah did and as Nehe¬ 
miah did, and follow thy commands exactly. We ask this 
in the name of Jesus. Amen. 


52 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Verses for Use: in the Meeting 

Hebrews 11:7; II Peter 2:5; II Kings 18:17, 19, 20; 
Matthew 26:69-75; Psalm 37:9; Daniel 1:11-20. 

Hymns for Use in the Meeting 

“ Dare to Be a Daniel.” 

“ Dare tO' Do Right.” 

“Courage, Brother! Do Not Stumble.” 

“ Where the Fight Is Hardest.” 

“ Be with Us, O Father Dear.” 

“ Rise Up, O Men of God.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Tell the story of the descendants of Cain. 

2. Tell what you know of the descendants of Seth. 

3. What were the dimensions of the ark? 

4. How can Juniors follow the example of Noah? 

5. Is it easier to be a # bad boy among bad boys, or a good 
boy among bad boys? 

6. Mother has forbidden you to go coasting on the hill 
where there is a railroad crossing. Jim calls you a “ ’fraid 
cat.” What do you do? 

7. Several of the girls of the class are copying their 
arithmetic examples from Emma, whose father has helped 
her. They make fun of you because you work so hard to 
get your problems, all by yourself. Who is right? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Descendants of Adam and Eve. 

2. The Invention of Musical Instruments. (The Bible 
Account and the Account Given in Mythology.) 

3. The First Maker of Cutting Instruments of Metal. 

4. The Building of the Ark. 

5. The Family of Noah. 

6. How to Withstand Ridicule. 

7. A Christian Junior and God’s Commands. 

8. Obedience to the Laws of God. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 53 

To Read in the Meeting 

Men to whom God gives visions of the future and who 
know more than other men know are often laughed at. 

Daniel was probably laughed at and made fun of because 
he insisted on keeping God’s laws about eating and drink¬ 
ing which he had learned in his homeland. Yet he proved 
that he was right, because he was better in health than 
those who had not kept those rules. 

Columbus tried for years to find some one who would 
believe in him and his theory that the world was round, 
and would give him money to try to make the trip to India 
by sailing west. He was laughed at and made fun of, but 
he proved to the world that he was right. 

People made fun of Benjamin Franklin because he flew a 
kite when he was trying to discover something about elec¬ 
tricity. But Franklin knew what he was about, and those 
of us who are alive to-day enjoy many of our everyday 
comforts because he persisted in spite of ridicule. 

Even Peter the apostle was afraid of ridicule. He de¬ 
nied Jesus three times because a maidservant made fun of 
him. We, too, must fight with the temptation to give up 
right-doing when some one makes fun of us. 

The fight against ridicule is hard, but let us make it. 


CHAPTER VI 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE STORY OF THE FLOOD 
Genesis 7:11, 12; 8:6-19 
The Memory Verse 

“ By faith Noah, being warned of God . . . prepared an 
ark.”—Hebrews 11:7. 

The Lesson Story 

Noah and his wife, and their three sons and their wives— 
eight people—were shut up in the ark. With them were 
animals and birds of every sort. The door was fastened so 
that no one could go in or out. 

And then it began to rain. At first the people thought 
only, “ This is an unusually heavy rain.” The second day 
it still continued to rain, and the third, and the fourth. The 
ocean tides rose very high. The waters crept over the land. 
Rapidly the rivers and the streams filled up. They began 
to overflow their banks. The valleys, the plains, were soon 
covered with water, so that the people fled to the hills. 
Higher and higher the waters rose, until they covered even 
high mountains. The ark floated, and Noah and his family 
must have known that it was no longer resting on the 
ground. Day after day it moved on the water until they 
were more than twenty-two feet above the tops of the 
highest hills. All men and women, all beasts and birds, all 
living creatures were drowned. 

For forty days and forty nights the rain continued. At 
last God “ made a wind to pass over the earth ” and calmed 
the waters. “ The fountains also of the deep . . . were 
stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained.” 

The ark still floated. But one day as the waters of the 
flood sank, it struck against something. Suddenly the 

54 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


f- * 

oo 

family in the ark knew that it was ground, though they did 
not know where. Really it was on the mountains of Ararat. 

“ Come,” said Noah to his sons. “ Let us see what has 
happened.” 

You remember that there was a window near the top of 
the ark. Noah went to the place where the birds had taken 
refuge. He took a raven, and he climbed to the upper story 
of the ark where the window was. He opened the window, 
and let the raven fly. The raven, you know, is a strong 
bird. It did not return to the ark. It flew back and forth, 
back and forth, over the flood until the waters had dried up. 

When Noah found that the raven did not return to the 
ark, he sent out a dove. The dove is not a strong-winged 
bird as the raven is. It could not fly so far. Soon it re¬ 
turned to the ark, and rested on the window frame. Noah 
put out his hand, and brought it into the ark again. 

For seven days more they remained quietly in the ark, 
and then Noah again loosed a dove. This time, too, the 
dove came back, but it brought in its mouth an olive leaf. 
From this Noah understood that the waters had gone down. 

For seven days more they waited. Again Noah sent out 
a dove. This time the bird did not return. There was land 
now, on which to rest between flights. The trees appeared 
on the earth, and there was food to be obtained. 

At last Noah knew that it would soon be safe for him to 
leave the ark. He removed the covering and looked out. 
The ground was dry, but for almost two months more they 
remained in the safe shelter where they had been so long. 
Then, at God’s command, Noah freed all the beasts and 
birds, and he and his family went out from the ark and 
once more walked on dry ground. God had saved them 
from danger. Because they were righteous people they had 
lived in safety through all the storm and flood. 

Handwork 

Complete your model of the ark. On the sand table make 
a sand picture of the Flood. Hake a range of mountains; 
let the highest peak represent the mountain on which the 
ark rested. What was the name of these mountains? You 
will find it in Genesis 8:4. 


56 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Notebook Work 

Enter this lesson in your notebook. Tell the story in your 
own words. As decorations find the pictures of a raven 
and of a dove. 


Expressional Activity 

Try this week to obey God’s commandments and to live, 
as far as a Junior can do, as he would want you to do. 

More of the Babylonian Story of the Creation 

When the first flush of dawn appeared, 

There came up from the horizon a black cloud. 

Adad thundered within it. 

While Nebo and Sharru (Marduk) went before. 

They go as messengers over mountain and valley. 

Nergal tore away the foundations. 

Ninib advances, the storm he makes to descend. 

The Anunnaki lifted up their torches, 

With their brightness they light up the land. 

Adad’s storm reached unto heaven 
All light was turned into darkness 
It (flooded) the land . . . 

One day the deluge . . . 

Raged high, (the waters covered [?]) the mountains, 

Like a besom of destruction they brought it upon men, 

No man beheld his fellow, 

No more were men recognized in heaven. 

Six days and (six) nights 

Blew the wind, the deluge and the tempest overwhelmed 
the land. 

When the seventh day drew nigh, the tempest spent itself 
in the battle, 

Which it had fought like an army. 

Then rested thfe sea, the storm fell asleep, the flood ceased. 

I looked upon the sea, there was silence come, 

And all mankind was turned to clay. 

Like a roof the plain lay level, 

I opened the window and the light fell upon my face, 

I bowed, I sat down, I wept, 

And over my face ran my tears. 

I looked in all directions, terrible (?) was the sea. 

After twelve days, an island arose. 

To the land of Nisir the ship made its way, 

The mount of Nisir held it fast, that it moved not. 

One day, a second day did the mount of Nisir hold it, that 
it moved not. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


57 


A third day, a fourth day did the mount of Nisir hold it, 
that it moved not. 

A fifth day, a sixth day did the mount of Nisir hold it, 
that it moved not. 

When the seventh day approached, 

I sent forth a dove and let her go. 

The dove flew away and came back, 

For there was no resting place and she returned. 

I sent forth a swallow and let her go, 

The swallow flew away and came back, 

For there was no resting place, and she returned. 

I sent forth a raven and let her go, 

The raven flew away, she saw the abatement of the waters, 
She drew near, she waded, she croaked (?) and came not 
back. 

Then I sent everything forth to the four quarters of 
heaven, I offered sacrifice, 

I made a libation upon the mountain’s peak. 

—From “ Cuneiform Parallels to the 
Old Testament,” by Rogers. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE RAINBOW COVENANT 
Genesis 8:20-22; 9:8-20 
The: Memory Verse 

“ I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token 
of a covenant between me and the earth.”—Genesis 9:13. 

The Lesson Story 

The ark of Noah rested on the mountains of Ararat after 
the Flood. Noah did not allow his family to leave at once. 
He kept them in the ark until God spoke to him and told 
him that the time had come for them to leave their refuge. 

How glad all the living creatures must have been to leave 
their cramped places in the ark, and to be free once more to 
go wherever they wished! The birds flew to the trees; 
they busied themselves in making nests. The animals hur¬ 
ried into the forests, seeking food and shelter. But as 
Noah and his family came out from the ark, they must have 



58 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


been lonely. There was no one else with whom they could 
talk or plan about the work of the world which must be 
done. They were glad and thankful, too, that they had 
been saved when everything around them had been de¬ 
stroyed. And so Noah, in order to show his thanksgiving 
to God, built an altar. He made a burnt offering to God, 
sacrificing birds and animals. And because God knew that 
Noah’s heart was right, he was pleased with the sacrifice. 
He planned good things for the world, and in his heart 
made a wonderful promise to man: “ While the earth re- 
maineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and sum¬ 
mer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” 

In order to strengthen Noah’s courage, and to make him 
sure that God was planning good things for him, God 
spoke to him. He said that never again should such a great 
flood come to the earth. As a sign of this, he said that he 
set the rainbow in the sky, so that whenever human beings 
in the future saw the many-colored bow, they might re¬ 
member his promise of goodness and kindness to the people 
of the world. 

So when you see the rainbow after a summer rain, re¬ 
member what God said to Noah—“ I do set my bow in the 
cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me 
and the earth.” 


Map Work 

Find on the map of Asia in your day-school geography 
the “ mountains of Ararat,” and make a small copy of the 
region in your notebook. 

Notebook Work 

Enter this lesson in your notebook. As a decoration 
draw a rainbow across the top of the page, putting in the 
colors, either with crayons or with paints. The colors in 
their order from the bottom to top are as follows: Red, 
orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. 

Continue the family tree of Adam which you started with 
Chapter V and put in the names of the three sons of Noah, 
Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 59 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Class 

A “ covenant ” is a promise. God’s promise of blessing 
for Noah is intended for us also. We know that he will 
keep his covenant. 

What is our part of the covenant? What are we to do? 

God is pleased with our offerings to him if our hearts are 
right. 

God saves from danger those who trust him and try to 
do his will. 


The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

As you read the lesson to-day, and think of God’s promise 
of blessing to the people of the world, think of the greatest 
Blessing of all which he has given to us—his Son, Jesus 
Christ, our Saviour. Try each day to be more like him, and 
so more pleasing to God. We know more of what God 
wants us to be than Noah did, and so we can be more like 
Jesus, and more pleasing to the Father. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

FOLLOWING A GOOD EXAMPLE 
John 13:15; I Thessalonians 1:6, 7 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

There were many ways in which Noah set an example 
which it would be well for us to follow. He “ walked with 
God.” He “ was a righteous man, and perfect.” “ Accord¬ 
ing to all that God commanded him, so did he.” For these 
reasons, “ God blessed Noah.” 

But we who live since the days of Christ have a better 
Example before our eyes even than Noah, for we have 
Jesus, the Saviour, who is the perfect Example of how God 
wants his followers to live. Let us try to follow him, and 
to live as he has shown us how to live. 



60 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

The Class Prayer 

O Jesus, we would live in the way that thou wouldest have 
us to live. Help us to follow thee as our Example. Help 
us each day to be more like thee. We ask in thy name. 
Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

John 13:15; I Thessalonians 1:6, 7; I Peter 2:21; I 
Timothy 4:12; 1 :16. 

Hymn for Use in the Meeting 

“ Up to Thee Sweet Childhood Looketh.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. How many people were saved in the ark? 

2. How long did the Flood last? 

3. What was the first act of Noah after the Flood? 

4. What was the meaning of the rainbow? 

5. In what ways did Noah set an example which Juniors 
may follow? 

6. Who is the perfect Pattern for Juniors to follow? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. New Testament References to Noah. (Matthew 
24:37, 38; Luke 17:26, 27; Hebrews 11:7; I Peter 3:20; 
II Peter 2:5.) 

2. The Story of the Flood. 

3. Noah’s Act of Thanksgiving. 

4. The Story of the Rainbow. 

5. How God Kept His Promise. 

6. The Perfect Pattern. 

7. How Juniors Can Follow Jesus’ Example. 

8. Following Jesus Day by Day. 

To Read in the Meeting 

“ Wherever the rainbow arches the sky it . . . declares 
the loving thought of God for all his creatures. It counsels 
us to be bountiful toward one another. Matthew 5 :45. It 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


61 


teaches us to be kind to animals because they are included 
in the covenant. Genesis 9:12. As the rainbow spans the 
sky after a shower, so also it spans the ages with its lesson 
of trust.” 

All through the history of the world, good men have set 
an example for us to follow. Noah was one of the first of 
those who set such an example. 

Noah did what he knew it was right to do, though he 
stood alone against all the people of the world. So he 
saved his family from destruction. 

Jesus did what he knew it was right to do, and so saved 
all the people of the world. 

Noah worshiped God with all his heart, and God was 
pleased with his offering. God will be pleased with our 
offerings if we are obedient and loving and true to him. 











STORIES OF THREE PATRIARCHS 



CHAPTER VII 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE EARLY HISTORY OF ABRAHAM 

Genesis 11:27-32 
The Memory Verse 

“ By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed . . . and 
he went out, not knowing whither he went.”—Hebrews 
11 :8a, c. 


The Lesson Story 

Many, many years had passed since the days of Noah. 
Again there were many people on the earth, and they had 
scattered from the mountains of Ararat to distant parts of 
the world. By this time there were separate tribes and na¬ 
tions who spoke different languages, and who had forgotten 
all about the one true God. Of these times, too, we have 
other records than those given in the Bible, so that we can 
tell more about the people than the Bible tells us. And 
though it is the people whose history is given in the Bible 
in whom we are most interested, we are always glad to find 
other records of these same times. 

Our lesson for to-day begins in a city named “ Ur of the 
Chaldees,” and scholars interested in ancient history have 
found out many things about this city. It was situated in 
the country which was later called “ Chaldea,” or “ Baby¬ 
lonia,” which is now called “ Persia,” on a strip of land 
along the Euphrates River. Ur was on the west shore of 
the river. It was a great city, teeming with life, and its 
people were rich and civilized. They no longer lived as 
Cain and Abel, or even as Noah had lived. They were ruled 
by a mighty king; they had many laws which governed their 

65 


66 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


lives and acts. They could read and write, and knew the 
multiplication table. They understood medicine and surgery. 
They built huge temples to their gods, and they protected 
their city with mighty walls. The country was very rich, 
and was famous for its wheat and its dates. 

We know all these things because specimens of their 
bricks and of the queer clay writing tablets which they used, 
have been found by explorers in Babylonia and Assyria. 

Among all the people of Ur there were only a few who 
worshiped the true God. One of these was Abram, who was 
later called Abraham. He was a descendant of Shem, the 
son of Noah. Although Abraham's father, Terah, was an 
idolater, or worshiper of idols, Abraham must have known 
in some way that this was wrong, for God appeared to him in 
his glory, and told him that he was to leave the city of Ur, 
and go to a land which should be shown to him. Acts 7:2, 3. 
And Abraham prepared to obey God’s command; he per¬ 
suaded his father, Terah, to go with him, and took also his 
orphan nephew Lot, the son of his dead brother, Haran. 

The family of Terah was well-to-do, and of prominence 
in Ur. Abraham, who was the oldest son, had himself mar¬ 
ried a beautiful young woman named “ Sarai,” a word 
which means “ princess,” and which shows that she was a 
member of a family of good standing in the city. She was 
later called “ Sarah.” It meant a great deal for a family 
such as that of Abraham to leave a homeland where they 
had lived long and were well-known. 

Perhaps you know what it means to move nowadays. 
But in the days of Abraham it meant something very differ¬ 
ent from what it means to-day, and more like what it meant 
when our ancestors in the days of early American history 
started across the plains and mountains in their covered 
wagons on the way to the unexplored West. 

Abraham was rich. He had many servants and herds of 
cattle and flocks of sheep. He gathered together all his 
possessions. Tents were prepared and all sorts of fittings 
were provided. Camels were obtained, and on these ani¬ 
mals the household goods were loaded. The sheep and the 
cattle were driven together, and at last all was ready. 

The caravan left Ur. At first they moved northwest, 
along the river. They traveled slowly for five hundred 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


67 


miles. At last they came to Haran, a city of Mesopotamia. 
And here the journey ended for a time, for the old father 
Terah, who was two hundred and five years old, was too 
feeble to travel farther. He could not go on. And so the 
family settled in Haran and remained there as long as Terah 
lived. 


Handwork 

The family of Abraham probably traveled as the shep¬ 
herd people of the East travel nowadays. They travel from 
one place to another with all their herds of cattle and flocks 
of sheep. They live in tents and carry with them all their 
household goods. 

For the lessons on Abraham it will be interesting to rep¬ 
resent on the sand table an encampment such as that of 



Abraham’s family. The first object to make for this en¬ 
campment is the tent. These tents were really made of the 
skins of animals, but you can make them of paper. For 
each tent take a strip of heavy brown paper 8^2 inches long, 
by 2 inches wide. Crease in the middle and also 1J4 inch 
from each end. Take nine toothpicks, match sticks, or other 
pieces of wood. Three of these should be a little longer 
than the others. Use these as the supports for the center 
of the tent, and three of the others at each end. You can 
see how the tent was made by looking at the picture. Some¬ 
times the skins of animals were hung as curtains back and 
front. 












68 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Notebook Work 

Noah’s son, Shem, was the ancestor of Terah, Abraham’s 
father. Enter the names of Terah’s sons in your notebook. 
Abraham married Sarah. Haran, who died before the 
family left Ur, had one son, Lot. Remember his name, for 
we shall have more about him later. 

Map Work 

Draw in your notebook a map of the country of the 
Chaldees. Be prepared to put it on the blackboard. Trace 
the journey of the caravan to Haran. 

Expressionar Activity 

Abraham obeyed God, though he did not know all of 
God’s plans for him. Let us this week try to obey our 
parents and our teachers, even though we do not always 
know why. 


Memory Work 
Learn by heart Acts 7 :2, 3. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE CALL OF ABRAHAM 
Genesis 12:1-9 
The Memory Verse 

“ In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” 

—Genesis 12:3b. 

The Lesson Story 

The family of Abraham remained in Haran until the old 
father, Terah, died. Then again God’s command came to 
Abraham, this time with a wonderful promise, “ Get thee 
out of thy country . . . unto the land that I will show thee: 
and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 69 

thee . . . and in thee shall all the families of the earth be 
blessed.” 

Again Abraham listened to God’s voice and obeyed. 
Again he ordered his shepherds and his herdsmen to gather 
together the flocks of sheep and cattle. The household 
goods and the tents were placed once more on the backs of 
the tall camels. Abraham and Sarah, his wife, and Lot, 
his nephew, were ready. The caravan started. Where 
they were going they did not know, but Abraham trusted in 
God. He knew that whatever God did for him would be 
best. 

Slowly the caravan moved along. Nowadays a caravan 
of this sort will travel about twenty miles a day, and prob¬ 



ably the family of Abraham moved at about this same 
rate of speed. Sometimes they stopped to let the flocks of 
sheep and cattle feed during the day, traveling at night 
when it was cooler. Sometimes they stayed for several 
days in one place, where there was good pasturage. But 
always they moved south, going in the direction that God 
told them to go. Perhaps they went through Carchemish, 
and through Hamath, and Damascus, said to be the oldest 
city in the world, for even in the long-ago days there were 
great trade roads through this city. At last they crossed 
the Jordan and came into the city of Shechem. And there, 
under a great oak tree, called the oak of Moreh, God came 
to Abraham and told him that this was the Promised Land 
•—the land which should belong to him and to his children 
after him. 

In Shechem Abraham built an altar to God, who had ap- 












70 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


peared to him there. But for some reason he moved again, 
taking his family and his herds of cattle and his flocks of 
sheep to Bethel. There, too, he built an altar to God, but 
from there, too, he moved south, journeying on and on as 
God showed him the way. For Abraham was obedient, so 
obedient that the Bible calls him “ the friend of God.” He 
became the ancestor of the Hebrew race, who were the 
people chosen of God to tell of him to all the world and to 
carry on his worship through hundreds and thousands of 
years. Noah set before us an example of obedience. Abra¬ 
ham sets before us such an example, too. He did those 
things that God commanded him to do. He was obedient 
in every way. And so God rewarded him as he will reward 
all those who truly try to obey him and to do his commands, 
as long as the world shall last. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Ceass 

God blessed Abraham because he was obedient to his 
commands, and did those things which God wanted him 
to do. We Juniors of to-day should try to be obedient as 
Abraham was. God tells us what he wants us to do through 
his words, the Bible, and through our teachers in school 
and in Sunday school; through our parents and all others 
who wish for our good. We must try to do his will in 
every way. 

God has given to us the blessing which he promised to 
Abraham, for we of to-day in civilized America know the 
story of the life and death of Jesus, our Saviour. We have 
the blessing which God promised to Abraham. We should 
prove ourselves worthy of the blessing. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

If you would follow the example of Abraham, be obedient 
to the command of God in whatever way it comes to you. 


Map Work 

See how many places mentioned in this lesson you can 
find on a Bible map and on a modern map of Bible lands. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


71 



Traveling in the East To-Day 

Every English pilgrim to the Holy Land, even the most 
reverential and the most fastidious, is delighted to trace and 
to record the likeness of patriarchal manners and costumes 
in the Arabian chiefs. . . . Such as we see them now, start¬ 
ing on a pilgrimage, or a journey, were Abraham and his 
brother’s son, when they “ went forth to go into the land of 
Canaan.” “ All their substance that they had gathered is 
heaped high on the backs of their kneeling camels. The 
slaves that they had bought in Haran run along by their 
sides. Round about them are their flocks of sheep and 
goats, and the asses moving underneath the towering forms 
of the camels. The chief is there, amidst the stir of move¬ 
ment, or resting at noon within his black tent, marked out 
from the rest by his cloak of brilliant scarlet, by the fillet 
of rope which binds the loose handkerchief round his head, 
by the spear which he holds in his hand to guide the march, 
and to fix the encampment. The chief’s wife, the princess 
of the tribe, is there in her own tent, to make the cakes and 
prepare the usual meal of milk and butter; the slave or the 




72 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


child is ready to bring in the red lentile soup for the weary 
hunter, or to kill the calf for the unexpected guest. 

—Stanley, “ History of the Jewish Church.” 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

HOW GOD KEPT THE PROMISE 
Galatians 3:8, 9, 13, 14 

Suggestions eor the Leader's Opening Address 

God promised to Abraham that in him all the nations of 
the world should be blessed. It was hundreds and hundreds 
of years before this promise was fulfilled, but at last the 
time came when Jesus Christ, the Descendant of Abraham, 
was born as a little child. In him the promise was brought 
to fulfillment. Jesus lived, and died on the cross for our 
sakes, and through his birth and life and death, all the 
nations of the world have been blessed. He is the Fulfill¬ 
ment of prophecy. His coming was the greatest blessing 
that the world has ever known. 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we thank thee that thy promise to 
Abraham has been fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ 
to the world. He is the Fulfillment of all that blessing and 
in him all the world is blessed. We thank thee for the gift 
of thy only Son to the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Matthew 1:1; Romans 4:9, 13; Galatians 3:6-9; James 
2:21-24; Acts 7:2, 3; John 8:39, 58; Hebrews 6:13, 14; 
11:9, 10; Psalm 105:42; Acts 2:38, 39. 

Hymns for Use in the Meeting 

“ How Firm a Foundation.” 

“ Ancient of Days.” 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


73 


“ The God of Abraham Praise.” 

“ Come, Sound His Praise Abroad.” 

“ The Lord Is King! Lift Up Thy Voice.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. What was God’s promise to Abraham? 

2. Why did God make this promise to him? 

3. How long was it before the promise was fulfilled? 

4. How was the promise fulfilled? 

5. How has the blessing promised to Abraham been a 
blessing to the world of to-day? 

6. How has it been a blessing to you? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Promise to Abraham. 

2. The Promise to Us. 

3. Why God Chose Abraham Through Whom to Give 
the Blessing. 

4. How Abraham Is an Example to Us. 

5. Modern Pioneers for the Sake of Religion. 

6. Why the Pilgrims Left Their Homeland. 

7. Why the Puritans, the Quakers, and the Huguenots 
Came to America. 

8. Why America Is a Christian Nation. 

To Read in the Meeting 

Abraham was the first pioneer for the sake of his re¬ 
ligion. There have been many since his day who have left 
their homes and gone to a new land of which they knew 
nothing, for the sake of their religion. 

In the first century a. d. Paul and Silas left the home 
church in Antioch and Syria and went as the first mission¬ 
aries to strange lands. 

In the sixth century Gregory of Rome saw some blue¬ 
eyed slaves for sale in the market place. 

“ Who are they ? ” he asked, and when he was told that 
they were Angles, he exclaimed, “ Truly they are not 
Angles, but angels! ” And so interested was he in their 
appearance that though he himself could not leave his home 


74 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


in Rome, lie sent a missionary to England to teach the 
Angles about the true God. 

The Pilgrims, the Puritans, the Quakers, the Huguenots, 
all left their homes in Europe to come to strange America, 
in order that they might worship freely. 

Governor Winthrop of New England left his home in 
England to come to America because he thought that the 
Puritans “ had no place to fly to but the wilderness,” where 
they might worship God. Like Abraham, Winthrop brought 
with him from his homeland large groups of people—over 
seven hundred people with their horses and cattle. The 
missionaries of to-day go out from their homes and teach 
the gospel in foreign lands. 

And so the blessing promised to Abraham is carried on. 
until to-day in the twentieth century truly, through Christ— 
that is, through Abraham’s Descendant—all the nations of 
the world arc blessed. 


CHAPTER VIII 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE LAND OF PROMISE 
Genesis 13:1-5, 14-18 
The Memory Verse 

" All the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it.”— 
Genesis 13:15. 


The Lesson Story 

On and on moved Abraham and his caravan, always south 
until he came to the Land of Promise—Canaan. And in 
those days Canaan was indeed a land of promise, a land of 
wonderful possibilities, where grains and fruits of all kinds 
grew, where there were rich pasture lands for the herds and 
flocks of cattle which Abraham brought with him, where 
there were beautiful streams and snow-covered mountains 
and lakes filled with fish of many kinds. Canaan, or, as it 
was later called, Palestine, is a little country. It is just 
about the size of our State of New Hampshire, for its great¬ 
est width is about a hundred miles, and its length from north 
to south about one hundred and fifty miles. At the north is 
a great, snow-clad mountain, called Mount Hermon, and 
south of ti&.s there are two other famous mountains, Mount 
Ebal and Mount Gerizim. At the south, the land ends in 
the desert. 

In this little Land of Canaan, there are four distinct 
divisions, or zones, which extend in parallel lines from north 
to south. First there is the narrow coast plain along the 
Mediterranean Sea. Just east of this, as you can see on 
your map, is the central plateau. This sinks gradually into 
the Plain of Esdraelon which rises ever higher as w*e go 
south until we reach the fertile hills of Samaria; as we go 
still farther south these merge into the hills of Judah. The 
third zone contains the Jordan River and the Dead Sea Val- 

75 


76 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 























































































































































JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


77 


ley. The fourth zone includes the plateaus which extend east 
of the Dead Sea into the Arabian Desert. 

Look again on your map, on page 76. A little below the 
center you will find Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, and 
between them you will find Shechem, where Abraham first 
settled in the Promised Land. A little later he moved south 
to Bethel, which, you see, is in the zone marked “ Mountain 
Range.” This zone is between two thousand and four thou¬ 
sand feet high. 

The Land of Canaan does not touch the Mediterranean 
Sea, but it has two important inland seas—the Dead Sea, 
which has no outlet, and which is consequently salt, and the 
Sea of Galilee. These two seas are connected by the beau¬ 
tiful Jordan River. The two seas are only sixtv-five miles 
apart, but because of its turnings, the river itself between 
the two seas measures nearly two hundred miles. The Dead 
Sea is the deepest depression in the earth’s surface, for its 
surface is 1292 feet below the level of the Mediterranean 
and its bottom is 1300 feet below that. To the east rises 
the long mountain range of Moab; on the west there are also 
hills and cliffs, pierced every three or four miles by a nar¬ 
row gorge. “ These gorges are barren, except in their rocky 
beds, the only ways of passage up them, where a few trees 
live on the water that trickles out of sight beneath the gray 
shingle. The western range is bare, unbroken, menacing; 
and there are few places in the world where the sun beats 
with so fierce a heat.” 

But in the days of Abraham, the region near the Dead 
Sea was probably different from what it is to-day, for near 
it were five great cities, called “ the cities of the plain.” 
Two of these cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, were rich and 
prosperous, but very wicked. To-day no one knows exactly 
where they were, for they were destroyed in the days of 
Abraham, but their names have come down to us as terms 
of wickedness and sin through all the hundreds of years 
since the time of the patriarch. 

It was this land which God promised to Abraham and to 
his descendants—Canaan, or Palestine, the Promised Land. 

Handwork and Map Work 

For the lessons of the next few weeks it will be interest- 


78 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


ing to make a relief map of Palestine. Abraham and Lot 
are making a home in the Promised Land, and you will be 
interested in learning about some of the places where they 
lived. Probably you know something about making relief 
maps from your day-school work, but you will find direc¬ 
tions given below. To make a map of Canaan study the 
map on opposite page and practice on the sand table before 
you try to follow the directions. Your teacher will help you. 

How to Make a Relief Map of Palestine: Take a cup 
of flour, a cup of salt, and a little powdered alum; mix into 
a stiff paste with warm water. Draw an outline map of Pal¬ 
estine on heavy cardboard. Most Bibles contain maps which 
show the elevations and depressions of the Holy Land. The 
hills and valleys of the land can be molded from these. 
When the maps are dry they can be colored with water 
colors, yellowish for the desert regions, green for fertile 
portions, blue for water areas. The cities can be indicated 
by white dots. 


Notebook Work 

On a new page of your notebook, draw an outline map of 
Canaan, putting in the places mentioned in last week’s les¬ 
sons and in this week’s lessons. 

Expressional Activity 

Try this week particularly to be obedient and faithful 
in your work, remembering the example of the faithful 
Abraham. 


“ The God oe Abraham Praise ” 

This hymn is a translation of the Hebrew Yigdal, which 
was written in the Middle Ages, but which is still contained 
in the Hebrew prayer books, and chanted in many syna¬ 
gogues in the world. 

Our translation was made about the year 1770 by Thomas 
Olivers, a friend of Wesley, who brought to him the hymn 
one day, saying, “ Look at this; I have rendered it from the 
Hebrew, giving it as far as I could, a Christian character, 
and I have called on Leoni the Jew, who has given me a 



Copyright, 1905, by Underwood & Underwood 


RELIEF MAP OF PALESTINE. FROM THE PALESTINE EXPLORATION 

SOCIETY 


The map we see here was modeled from charts prepared by the Palestine Explora¬ 
tion Society, but in order to render important points easily distinguishable, the 
vertical scale was made three and a half times as great as the horizontal scale. 
The numbered markers identify the following-named places: 


1. Hebron. 

2. Bethlehem. 

3. Jerusalem. 

4. Mizpah. 

5. Bethel. 

6. Jericho. 

7. Joppa. 

8. Ebal and Gerizim. 

9. Samaria. 

10. Dothan. 


11. Plain of Esdraelon. 

12. Mountains of Gilboa. 

13. Bethshan. 

14. Mount Tabor. 

15. Nazareth. 

16. Carmel. 

17. Tiberias. 

18. Mount of Beatitudes. 

19. Capernaum. 

20. Bethsaida Julius. 


21. Tyre. 

22. Sidon. 

23. Dan. 

24. Caesarea Philippi. 

25. Mount Hermon. 

26. Damascus. 

27. Jerash. 

28. Jabbok. 

29. Nebo. 









JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


79 


synagogue melody to suit it; here is the tune, and it is to be 
called ‘ Leonid ” 

“ The God of Abraham praise, 

Who reigns enthroned above; 

Ancient of everlasting days, 

And God of love: 

JEHOVAH! Great I AM! 

By earth and heaven confessed; 

I bow and bless the sacred name, 

Forever blessed. 

“The God of Abraham praise, 

At whose supreme command 

From earth I rise, and seek the joys 
At his right hand : 

I all on earth forsake, 

Its wisdom, fame, and power; 

And him my only portion make, 

My Shield and Tower.” 


SUNDAY SESSION 

GIVING LOT FIRST CHOICE 
Genesis 13:6-13 
The Memory Verse 

“ Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee.” 
—Genesis 13:8. 

The Lesson Story 

After Abraham and his family reached Canaan there was 
a famine in the land and they moved still farther on, to 
Egypt. There they remained until the famine was over. All 
the time the flocks and herds were increasing. All the time 
Abraham and Lot, his nephew, were becoming richer. They 
possessed not only cattle, but silver and gold, also. When 
the danger of famine was past, they returned to Canaan and 
settled in the place where Abraham had pitched his tent in 
the beginning of his stay in Canaan—that is, near Bethel, 
where he had built an altar to Jehovah and had worshiped 
him. 



80 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


With all the great and rich land of Canaan before them, 
you would think that Abraham and Lot would have been 
able to live peaceably and happily. But “ the land was not 
able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their 
substance was great.” 

The herdsmen who had charge of Abraham’s cattle and 
those who had charge of Lot’s cattle began to quarrel. 

“ Your sheep and oxen are getting the best pasturage,” 
the herdsmen of Abraham would say to those of Lot. And 
Lot’s men would laugh, to think that they had gotten the 
best place first. Finally they began to quarrel, and even to 
fight among themselves. There was no peace in the great 
tents, for the men were always arguing and fighting. 

Abraham saw that something must be done. He was 
older and wiser than Lot. He was the chief. He might 
have said to his nephew: “ God has given me all this land. 
It is to belong to me and to my children and to my children’s 
children, forever. God has promised this. You will have 
to find another home for yourself.” 

But Abraham was not that sort of man. He was reason¬ 
able. He was a faithful follower of the true God. He did 
not want to quarrel and fight with his nephew. So one day 
he spoke to* Lot, and invited him up to a hilltop where, be¬ 
fore their eyes, a glorious view of the land lay before them. 
They were on a hill near Bethel. To the east lay the rich 
plain of the Jordan, well watered, “ like the garden of Je¬ 
hovah.” There lay two^ great cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, 
like the city of Ur which they had left behind. Through the 
valley lay the great trade routes, leading to Egypt, and to 
Mesopotamia. It seemed tO' Lot that this was the part of 
the land which he should choose. His uncle might have 
what was left. 

Lot was selfish. He was inconsiderate. As the younger 
man, who owed everything to his uncle, he should not have 
accepted Abraham’s generous offer; he should have left the 
decision to Abraham. But he did not. He took what seemed 
to him the best part of the country—the plain of the Jordan. 
He and his family and his herdsmen, his sheep and his cattle 
and his oxen, moved eastward, nearer and nearer to the 
cities of the plain, until at last he pitched his tent close to 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


81 


the city of Sodom whose people were “wicked and sinners 
against Jehovah exceedingly.” 

But Abraham remained in the Land of Canaan. He had 
done right in avoiding a quarrel with his nephew, and God 
was pleased with him. Again God gave to him the promise 
that all the land, north and south, east and west, should 
some time belong to him and to his family, and that his chil¬ 
dren and his children’s children should be so many that no 
man could count them any more than he could count the 
particles of the dust of the earth. Again God told Abraham 
to go through the land, to explore it, and again Abraham 
and his family and his caravan moved, until at last they 
pitched their tents under the oaks of Mamre, near the city 
of Hebron. Here Abraham again built an altar to Jehovah. 
He trusted God and tried in every way to do God’s will. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Class 

Abraham saw that it would not be possible for his herds¬ 
men and the herdsmen of Lot to live in peace. He did not 
quarrel with his nephew. He settled the matter by giving 
the choice to Lot, even though he was older than Lot and 
should rightfully have had the first choice. When you see 
that you are in danger of quarreling with one of your 
friends and playmates, what do you do? Do you stick up 
for your own rights,‘or do you give the other person the 
first choice? Are you generous or are you selfishr If you 
are like Abraham, you will be generous and kind, even 
though you know that you have the right to the best. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

Abraham was a peacemaker. Although he lived hundreds 
of years before the days of Jesus, he was an example of 
those whom Jesus meant when he said, “ Blessed are the 
peacemakers.” We, too, shall be blessed if we try to keep 
from quarreling and live at peace with all those whom we 
meet. 


Handwork 

Make on the sand table a relief map of the country which 
Abraham and Lot saw before them as you imagine it to have 


82 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


been. Then represent the places where they were living at 
the end of the lesson. Represent the plain of the Jordan by 
leveling off a part of the sand. Represent the cities of 
Sodom and Gomorrah, and Lot’s encampment near Sodom. 
Then put at some distance away the encampment of Abra¬ 
ham. Near this site, have trees to represent the “ oaks ” of 
Mamre. Leave the scene on the sand table until next week, 
or longer. 

A View oe the Promised Land 

The following description of Canaan is taken from George 
Adam Smith’s “ Historical Geography of the Holy Land,” 
though the view described is the view from Mount Ebal, 
and not from the place where Abraham gave to Lot the first 
choice, it gives to you a picture of some of the things that 
they saw before their eyes. Ebal is near Shechem, or 
Nablus, where Abraham settled first when he went to the 
Promised Land, Genesis 12:6. 

“ The view from Ebal virtually covers the whole land. 
. . . All the four long zones, two of the four frontiers, 
specimens of all the physical features and most of the 
famous scenes of history are in sight. . . . 

“ Looking south, you have at your feet the pass through 
the range, with Nablus; then over it the mass of Gerizim, 
with a ruin or two; and then twenty-four miles of hilltops, 
at the back of which you dimly discern a tower. That is 
Neby Samwil, the ancient Mizpeh. Jerusalem is only five 
miles beyond, and to the west the tower overlooks the 
Shephelah. Turning westwards, you see—nay, you almost 
feel—the range letting itself down, by irregular terraces, on 
to the plain; the plain itself flattened by the height from 
which you look, but really undulating to mounds of one and 
two hundred feet; beyond the plain the gleaming sandhills 
of the coast and the infinite blue sea. . . . Turning north¬ 
wards, we have the long ridge of Carmel running down from 
its summit, perhaps thirty-five miles distant, to the low hills 
that separate it from our range; over the rest of this the 
hollow that represents Esdraelon; over that the hills of 
Galilee in a haze, and above the haze the glistening shoulders 
of Hermon, at seventy-five miles of distance. . . . 

“ The view is barer than a European eye desires, but soft- 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


83 


ened by the haze the great heat sheds over all. . . . The 
hills are brown, with here and there lighter shades, here 
and there darker. Look through the glass, and you will 
see that the lighter are wheat-fields ripeping, and the darker 
are olive groves, sometimes two miles in extent, not thickly 
planted like woods in our land, but with trees wide of each 
other, and the ground broken up beneath. . . . Near us the 
only great trees are the walnuts and sycomores of Nablus, 
immediately below. . . . Anciently more villages would have 
been visible, and more corn, with vineyards where now 
ruined terrace walls add to the stoniness of the hills.” 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

SETTLING A QUARREL 
Luke 6:29-33 

Suggestions tor the Leader's Opening Address 

Abraham, in his treatment of Lot, set before us an ex¬ 
ample of a good way in which to settle a quarrel. He gave 
to Lot the first choice. He loved him better than he loved 
himself. Jesus, too, in the New Testament, shows us ways 
of avoiding quarrels. * “ Love one another,” he says. “ If 
thy brother sins against thee, forgive him seventy times 
seven times.” The best way to avoid quarrels or to settle 
quarrels is to love others, to try to see their point of view, 
to give up our own way, and not to be stubborn. Even 
when others are wrong and we are right, we must be gen¬ 
erous and kind, always following the examples given to us 
in the Bible. 


The Class Prayer 

O Jesus, thou hast told us to love one another, and to be 
kind to one another. Help us to do as thou wouldst have 
us to do. We ask in thy name. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 
Psalm 133; Proverbs 15:1; Matthew 5:9; ch. 6; John 



84 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


13:34, 35; Romans 12:10; I Corinthians 13:4-8; Ephesians 
5 :2; Hebrews 13 :1. 

Hymns for Use in the Meeting 
“ Love Is Kind.” 

“ Dear Lord, Each Selfish Thought We Think.” 

“ Father, Lead Me Day by Day.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. How did Abraham settle the quarrel between his 
herdsmen and those of Lot? 

2. How did he avoid a quarrel with Lot? 

3. How can a Junior of to-day avoid quarrels? 

4. How can a Junior of to-day help to settle quarrels? 

5. What did Jesus say about peacemakers? 

6. What is the Golden Rule? 

7. Can you avoid quarrels by obeying the Golden Rule? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Abraham and Lot. 

2. The Golden Rule. 

3. How Abraham Kept the Golden Rule. 

4. How Juniors Can Keep the Golden Rule. 

5. “ Blessed Are the Peacemakers.” 

6. Giving Others the First Choice. 

To Read in the Meeting 

There are loyal hearts, there are spirits brave, 

There are souls that are pure and true; 

Then give to the world the best you have, 

And the best will come back to you. 

Give love, and love to your life will flow, 

A strength in your utmost need; 

Have faith, and a score of hearts will show 
Their faith in your word and deed. 

—Madeline S. Bridges. 

The “ Golden Rule ” was called by that name because gold 
is one of the most precious things in the world, and the 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


85 


teachings of this verse are one of the most precious things 
in the world. 

There is a “ Silver Rule,” which says, “ If good is done 
to you, do good in return,” and an “ Iron Rule,” which says, 
“If evil is done to you, do' evil in return.” Do you think 
that anyone should keep the Silver Rule or the Iron Rule? 

If everyone in the world kept the Golden Rule, everyone 
in the world would put others first, and there would be no 
more quarrels, no more wars. 





Juniors in school can keep the Golden Rule by treating 
their teachers and the other pupils as they would want to be 
treated if they were in the place of the teacher or of the 
other pupils. If your neighbor cheats in arithmetic, what 
would you want “you” to do, if you were the teacher? 
What would you want “ you ” to do, if you were your 
neighbor ? 
































CHAPTER IX 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE BATTLE OF FOUR KINGS AGAINST FIVE 

Genesis 14:1-12 
The Memory Verse 

“ There is no' restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by 
few.”—I Samuel 14:6. 

The Lesson Story 

“ The soldiers of the enemy are coming! The army of the 
four kings is drawing near! ” called one of Lot’s herdsmen 
as he rode up to the tent door one morning. “ Get ready to 
escape! Flee to the city for safety! ” 

What a hurried gathering together of household goods 
there was! Quickly they packed up all their possessions, 
and loaded the tents on to the great camels. Quickly they 
rode into the city of Sodom, for Lot and his family and his 
herdsmen had moved their tents nearer and nearer to the 
great city until now they lived as close to it as they could, 
with their flocks and great herds of sheep and cattle. 

The city of Sodom and the city of Gomorrah near by were 
in a region which was under the rule of five kings. But 
these five kings themselves were only vassal kings; that is, 
they ruled under direction from four great kings of Asia. 
For twelve years everything had gone quietly. Then the 
five kings rebelled against the four kings. Quickly the four 
kings had gathered their great armies. Across the country, 
over the desert, they marched, southwest, until they came 
to the place called “ the vale of Siddim ”—a place which 
students of geography and history cannot find now, and 
which they think has been hidden under the waters of the 
Dead Sea. At that time it was a marshy place, low and full 


86 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


87 


of “ slime pits ” which proved death traps to any soldiers 
who were caught in them. 

Here, in the vale of Siddim, a great battle was fought— 
four kings against five. But the five kings were beaten. 
Their men were lost in the marshes. Those soldiers that 
were left fled to the mountains, and Sodom and Gomorrah 
were unprotected before the onrush of the enemy. 

Quickly the army of the four kings moved forward. 
Quickly the soldiers entered Sodom and Gomorrah. They 
carried away many of the inhabitants of the city, and their 
goods and possessions. Among those whom they took was 
Lot, the nephew of Abraham, together with all his family 
and his goods. How sorry Lot must have felt that he had 
gone to the wicked city of Sodom! How sorry he must have 
felt that he had left his uncle Abraham! He had chosen to 
live near a wicked city, and he was suffering the result of 
his choice. 


Something About the Nine Kings 

1. Am'ra-phel, King of Shi'nar. This name is another 
name for Hammurabi, one of the great kings of Babylonia, 
which was also called Shinar. Those men who have ex¬ 
plored the ruins found in Babylonia and Assyria tell us that 
Hammurabi was one of the greatest kings of Babylonia. 
Read in Chapter VII some things about his times. 

2. Ar' i-och, King of El-la' sar. We do not know any¬ 
thing about this king. Ellaser was a place in or near 
Babylonia. 

3. Ched-or-la-o' mer, King of E' lam, was head of the 
expedition. Elam was a country bordering on the Tigris 
River. This king has been identified as an overlord of 
Babylon. 

4. Ti' dal, King of Goi' im. About this king we know 
nothing. These four kings formed an alliance. They were 
kings of great countries, and probably had great armies. 

The five kings were not so powerful as the four kings 
were. Their names were as follows: 

5. Be ra, King of Sod' om. 

6. Bir' sha, King of Go-mor'rah. 

7. Shi' nab, King of Ad' mah. 


88 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


8. Shem-e' ber, King of Ze-boi' im. 

9. The king of Be' la (or Zoar) whose name is not given. 

Handwork 

In connection with this series of lessons, make a model 
of an Oriental city on the sand table. Each pupil in the 
Department may make a flat-roofed house, following the 
model given on page 85. Group these houses in the city, 
and make a wall around it. For this lesson put the tents of 
Lot’s encampment just outside the city walls, and plan the 
attack on the city. 


Map Work 

The four kings moved from the Euphrates down the east 
side of the Jordan River, as far as the Gulf of Akaba. 
Trace their journey on the map. From there they marched 
back to the vale of Siddim, where the battle of the lesson 
took place. 


, Notebook Work 

Enter the names of the nine kings in your notebooks. 

Memory Work 

Learn the last verses of the Memory Hymn: 

“ He by himself hath sworn, 

I on his oath depend; 

I shall, on eagle’s wings upborne, 

To heaven ascend: 

I shall behold his face, 

I shall his power adore, 

And sing the wonders of his grace 
For evermore. 


“ The whole triumphant host 
Give thanks to God on high; 

Hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! 
They ever cry 

Hail, Abraham’s God and mine! 

I join the heavenly lays; 

All might and majesty are thine, 
And endless praise.” 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 89 

Expressionae Activity 

If there is anyone in your class or in your school who 
has been unkind to you or who has hurt your feelings, try 
this week to be doubly kind to him. Sunday’s lesson will 
tell you how you will be following Abraham’s example, if 
you do this. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

ABRAHAM’S RESCUE OF LOT 
Genesis 14:13-16 

The Memory Verse 

“A friend loveth at all times; 

And a brother is born for adversity.”—Proverbs 17 : 17 . 

The Lesson Story 

Abraham was sitting comfortably in his tent door, in the 
shade of the great oak trees of Mamre. To the north of 
him a great battle had been raging, but Abraham and his 
family and his herdsmen knew nothing about what had 
happened. His flocks and herds were grazing in the fields. 
There was plenty of pasture for all, and he and his neigh¬ 
bors lived in peace and plenty, far away from the battle in 
the north. 

But suddenly, as he looked across the peaceful hillside, 
there was a stir. There was something happening! It 
seemed that his men were hurrying toward the great tent 
where he was. Yes, a stranger was coming. His men were 
bringing the stranger, and they all seemed very much 
excited. 

“News! News, master!” they cried. “Here is a 
stranger who tells us of a great battle! ” 

“ Give him food, Elieazer, and let him tell his story in 
peace,” said the master. “ Let him eat and rest, first, and 
then we will hear his news.” (That is the law of hospitality 
in the East. Guests must be given food and made com¬ 
fortable first, before they are asked for information.) 



90 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


But this man did not want to wait. 

“ I have escaped from a great battle,” he said, “ the battle 
of four great kings against five. And the four kings from 
the East were victors, O my master, and they have de¬ 
stroyed the armies of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. 
They have taken captive your nephew Lot and his wife and 
his daughters and his herdsmen, and all his possessions.” 

You would have thought, perhaps, that Abraham would 
have said: “ Well, it serves Lot right. He should have 
stayed with me.” But he did not. Quickly he called to¬ 
gether his friends, and they gathered all their men trained 
for war. It was only a force of three hundred and eighteen 
men—a little force to go out against the warriors of Baby¬ 
lonia and Assyria, but God was with them. They followed 
the victorious army on and on until they came almost to 
Damascus. And there Abraham and his men, with God’s 
help, managed to rescue Lot and his family and to get back 
all the spoil which had been taken away. God helped Abra¬ 
ham, for he was his faithful friend. 

Quickly they turned south again, carrying back the res¬ 
cued people to their homes, and you can imagine what re¬ 
joicing there must have been everywhere along the way. 
And as for Lot, you would have thought that he must have 
been doubly grateful to his uncle Abraham and sorry for his 
sins. Perhaps he was a better man after that, but he con¬ 
tinued to live in the wicked city of Sodom, where he became 
one of the leading men. He did not learn thoroughly the 
lesson of avoiding bad company. He stayed in the city of 
the wicked. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Class 

Lot’s association with the wicked people of Sodom led him 
into difficulties. That is always the way. “ Evil compan¬ 
ionships corrupt good morals,” the old proverb tells us. If 
you play with bad boys and girls, you yourself are apt to 
become a bad boy or a bad girl. Sometimes, even when you 
are not to blame for something unpleasant that happens, 
you are blamed because you usually are with the group who 
gets into mischief. If you never go with the group, no one 
blames you. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


91 


Abraham was kind and generous. He forgot how selfish 
Lot had been. As soon as he heard that his nephew was in 
trouble, he hurried to help him. Do you ever say, “ Nellie 
was so mean yesterday that I won’t play with her to-day, or 
help her with her arithmetic problem?” If you are about 
to say something like that, just think of how Abraham 
treated Lot. 

The Bible tells us that it does not matter to God whether 
the battle is fought with few men or with many. “ There 
is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.” God 
gives the victory to those who are striving for the right. 
Don’t he afraid to be right with the few. Remember the 
story of Noah and the ark. Abraham was brave. He knew 
that his force was little, but he started out boldly against 
the great armies of the kings of the north. He had courage 
for the right. 

The; Lesson Truth in Your Life 

Have you tried this week to be generous and kind to some 
one who you thought had been unkind tO' you, as you were 
asked in the last lesson? That is one way in which you can 
show the lesson truth in your life. “ Be ye kind one to 
another.” 


Guy the Crusader 

A long, long time ago, in one of the smiling valleys of 
France, there was an old castle. It was built all of stone, 
and its threatening appearance stood out in strong contrast 
to the sunny meadows and green hillsides which lay around 
it. In this castle, or chateau, as the French call it, there 
lived a knight, Sir Hugh Des Fontaines, with his wife and 
their little son Guy. Guy was a sturdy little fellow, and 
from his earliest years was fond of wandering about in 
search of adventures. When he was but ten years old, there 
was not a precipice, cave, or bowlder in all the country 
round that he did not know and had not visited. 

When Guy was twenty-five years old, he was the finest 
young man in all the countryside. He was tall and slender, 
and so graceful in all his movements that he never seemed 
to be obliged to make an effort. He had long yellow hair, 


92 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


that flowed down over his shoulders. That seems strange 
nowadays; but at that time all the young men wore their 
hair so, and if they had seen you and me they would have 
thought us perfect frights. Guy looked very grand, I can 
tell you, when he went about over the country dressed from 
head to foot in shining armor, and mounted upon a fine 
black war horse. 

Now, at this time there was a great excitement through¬ 
out France, and it was caused by the preaching of Peter the 
Hermit. He was small and insignificant-looking, but some¬ 
how his preaching set everyone crazy. He told of how the 
pilgrims who traveled to Jerusalem were plundered, beaten, 
yes, and sometimes killed outright, by the Saracens who had 
possession of Palestine. Then he told how it was the duty 
of every good Christian to save the Holy City, the place 
where our Saviour had lived, out of the hand of the infidel. 
And his enthusiasm would take such hold of his audience 
that they would throw up their caps and shout, “ God wills 
it!” and many of them would go home and make their 
preparations to go on the long journey to Palestine—the 
crusade, as it was called—and leave their dear wives and 
children, so that they might redeem the Holy City. 

Now, Guy was a young man, and easily excited; so, when 
the others threw up their caps, Guy, who had come a long 
way to hear Peter, threw up his cap too, and cried, “ God 
wills it! ” 

When he reached home he had a long talk with his father. 
Sir Hugh said that he himself was too old now to go off on 
such a wild expedition; but it would please him very much 
if Guy would go, to keep up the honor of the family— 
though he was loath to part with his son. So Guy went. 
He spent a week in preparations; then he bade good-by to 
his father and mother, and started forth at the head of fif¬ 
teen men at arms, some of whom had been his playfellows 
in the days of the wooden shields. They rode eastward to 
join Godfrey of Bouillon, who was to lead the Christians 
against the unbelievers. 

It was a long time before the great army was ready to set 
out; but at last they began their march, with trumpets sound¬ 
ing and standards flying. For the first few days it was a 
triumphal journey; then it began to grow tedious and finally 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


93 


wearisome. Every morning Guy had to raise his aching 
limbs from his resting place—generally the ground—mount 
his great, black horse, which was as tired as he, and ride 
wearily on. There was a great deal of complaining; the 
food was bad, the weather was bad, the roads were bad; but 
Guy would not find fault, for he felt that they were going 
on the Lord’s errand, and who was he. to complain of the 
weariness of the journey on which the vOrd had sent him? 
And when he thought of these things, his heart grew lighter, 
and his tired limbs seemed more supple, and the sky brighter. 
Then the hearts of the weary crusaders who rode near him 
would be gladdened when they saw his cheerful bearing and 
pleasant smile. 

Finally they reached Jerusalem. As the great host came 
in sight of the Holy City, they bowed the knee in silent 
adoration of their Maker. The next day they began the 
attack. Fierce was the assault, but fiercer still the defense. 
The Saracens fought like madmen, and by night they re¬ 
paired the breaches made by day. So the hot summer days 
went by,until one evening Godfrey heard that the enemy were 
soon to receive reenforcements. That night he sent word 
all through the camp that a final attack was to be made the 
next morning, and that on the morrow they must conquer 
or die. All evening Guy’s squire sat polishing up the armor 
that was so bright when they left home and which had 
grown so tarnished and indented now; and then he and 
Guy went to sleep. 

Next morning the sun rose bright and clear, and was re¬ 
flected in the shining armor of the crusaders. The whole 
force advanced on different sides to storm the city. Well 
might the Saracens tremble when they saw the Christians 
marching against them, for this time the watchword was, 
“ Conquer or die! ” Guy rode in the van. He was a vet¬ 
eran warrior now; but to-day he felt something of the awful 
excitement which possessed him before his first battle. 
This day was to decide the fate of the Christian army; and 
Guy, with the rest, made up his mind that he would sleep 
in Jerusalem, or that the stars would shine down that night 
upon his dead body as it lay stretched upon the plain. 

At a point about a furlong from the city all the riders dis¬ 
mounted, and the serried mass of crusaders under Godfrey 


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marched steadily forward on foot toward a great breach in 
the wall. There was the main point of attack, and the 
Saracens were there in force to keep the Christians out. On 
rushed Godfrey against the living mass of the enemy; on 
rushed Guy, whirling his great sword above his head. There 
was a shock, a pause, and the baffled Christians fell back, 
only to charge again and yet again. Higher and higher rose 
the sun. The heat was intolerable, but still the fighting kept 
on—the Christians now rushing fiercely upon the enemy, 
now pressed backwards in disorderly retreat. 

All at once there was silence in the Christian ranks. 
Everyone was quiet, for Godfrey was about to speak. “ Sol¬ 
diers of the cross! ” he cried in a voice like a trumpet, 
“ shame on you! Will you leave the Holy City in the hands 
of the unbelievers? No! One last charge, and Jerusalem, 
the city of our Lord, is in our power! ” Then turning and 
brandishing his sword, “ God wills it! ” he cried, and rushed 
against the enemy. “ God wills it! ” cried Guy, and, leap¬ 
ing up, he gripped his sword and started in pursuit. After 
them came the mighty Christian host with new vigor and re¬ 
newed strength. 

Godfrey was one of the first over the wall, and Guy was 
close upon him. Then another rushed over, and then 
another, and more and more. Look to yourselves, brave 
Saracens, or you have lost the day ! Ah! they could not 
withstand that onset. Some fled, some stood for a moment, 
only to be cut down by their pursuers. The wretched crea¬ 
tures, huddled together in the midst of the city, were like 
lambs given up to the slaughter. Guy did not like such 
work; he desisted. 

So at last the battle was won. Godfrey of Bouillon stood 
leaning on his sword with his chief men about him, taking 
counsel for what should happen next. 

“ It has been a hard-fought battle,” said old Raymond of 
Toulouse. “ That was no easy victory.” 

“No,” said Godfrey; “and had it not been for yonder 
young man,” pointing to Guy, who stood near, “ and a hand¬ 
ful of others like him, we should not be here now. What 
say you, Des Fontaines; is it not true?” 

“ It was not I, or the like of me, that decided the battle,” 
said Guy, gravely. “ It was the will of God.” 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


95 


And all the crusaders standing about, young and old, 
bowed their heads, and said, #“ Amen! ” 

—Selections from “ Guy the Crusader,” by Edward Everett 
Hale. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

BEING FAIR TO OTHERS 
Genesis 14:17-24 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

Abraham was faithful to God, and he was faithful also 
to his friends. He was generous in his treatment of Lot. 
He was generous in his treatment of others. 

When he returned home after the rescue of Lot, he 
brought with him many people and much spoil from the 
enemy—the possessions which they first had carried away 
from the people of Canaan. The king of Sodom met Abra¬ 
ham and another king, Melchizedek, King of Salem. Mel- 
chizedek blessed Abraham in the name of the true God, and 
Abraham gave to him one tenth of all that had been won in 
battle. 

Then the king of Sodom came to Abraham. He sug¬ 
gested that he send the people back to their homes, but keep 
all the trophies of war. But Abraham had not fought for 
booty. He had fought to rescue his nephew. He would 
not accept for himself even a shoe latchet, except the food 
that they had eaten. He asked that a portion be given to his 
friends and neighbors from near Hebron, but he himself 
refused any share. Again he showed that he was fair and 
generous to others, you see, and unselfish himself. He 
set an example before us, for us all to> follow. He was 
obedient; he was faithful; he was kind; he was fair; he was 
generous. Let us pray that we may be like him. 

The Ceass Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we want to be like Abraham, 
obedient and kind and generous. Help us to follow the 



96 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


example that he has set before us in all these ways. We 
ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. , 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Proverbs 4:18; 10:6, 7, 20; 20:7; Matthew 5:44 ; 7:12; 
Luke 6:27, 28, 31; Romans 8:31; Ephesians 4:32; Philip- 
pians 4:8; I Timothy 6:12. 

Hymns for Use in the Meeting 

“ Can I See Another’s Woe? ” 

“ Be with Us, O Father.” 

“ I Live for Those Who Love Me.” 

“ Love Thyself Last.” 

“ Rescue the Perishing.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. In what ways was Abraham fair to others? 

2. In what ways was he more than fair? 

3. Who was Melchizedek? Find another place in the 
Bible where Melchizedek is mentioned. Hebrews 5:10; 
6:20; 7:1-6. 

4. How can you be fair and generous to others in your 
school life? 

5. How can you be fair and generous to those at home? 

6. Will you try to follow Abraham’s example this week? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Story of Abraham’s Rescue of Lot. 

2. Melchizedek. 

3. Sharing the Spoils. 

4. Playing Fair in Our Lives. 

5. How Juniors May Play Fair. 

6. Fighting Others’ Battles. 

7. How We Should Treat Those Who Have Been Un¬ 
kind. 


To Read in the Meeting 

Jesus said that we should forgive those who have offended 
us “ seventy times seven.” This does not mean just four 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 97 

hundred and ninety times, but more times than we can 
number. 

King Saul sought the life of David after David had tried 
to help him in every way. And yet when David had a 
chance to take Saul’s life, he spared him because he thought 
that God’s anointed king was sacred. David was forgiving 
and obedient. 

When Jesus was on the cross, he said of those who cruci¬ 
fied him, “ Father, forgive them; for they know not what 
they do.” He was the greatest Example that the world has 
ever known of fairness and generosity to others. 


CHAPTER X 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

HOSPITALITY IN BIBLE LANDS 
Genesis 18:1-8 
The Memory Verse 

“ Be tenderly affectioned one to another . . . given to 
hospitality.”—Romans 12:10, 13. 

The Lesson Story 

Even to-day in Eastern lands the manners and customs 
of the people are very much like those of hundreds and hun¬ 
dreds of years ago. So, if we can see how the Arab sheik 
of to-day lives, we can tell something of the way in which 
Abraham lived so many centuries ago. 

Imagine the group of great black tents of the rich chief¬ 
tain—the tents in which the master slept and ate, and those 
in which his servants and tribesmen—hundreds of them— 
lived. Read the lesson passage. Then read the description 
of a visit to a modern Bedouin chieftain, or sheik, and you 
can picture to yourself how Abraham lived. It is a life of 
peace and comfort, though it is a very different life from 
what we know in America to-day. The account is from 
“ Oriental Social Life,’’ by H. Clay Trumbull. 

“ As our party neared the tents, with the intention of 
passing to the north of them, I observed a Bedouin woman 
with a bulky cloth bag, or sack, upon her shoulders, the bag 
oozing moisture as if its contents were liquid. I reined up 
my horse, in order to see how it was that water was being 
carried in a cloth bag. In answer to my question I was told 
that the bag contained leben, or thickened milk [butter], 
which is a staple article of diet among the pastoral peoples 
of the East. But that question of mine had put me into a 
new relation with the Bedouin there. It had brought our 

98 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


99 


party within the scope of the tribe’s hospitality, as I quickly 
had occasion to realize. 

“ The Bedouin sheik was sitting in the entrance way of his 
tent, as Abraham was accustomed to sit in his day. And 
the sheik’s tent was designedly nearest the traveled way, in 
order that he could be on the watch for stranger guests. 
Seeing a party of travelers stop in the vicinity of his tribe, 
he arose from his place and came forward, with all the dig¬ 
nity of bearing and courtliness of manner of the true Arab 
chieftain, to ask them to honor him by alighting and accept¬ 
ing the hospitality of his tent. To have declined this invita¬ 
tion without a good and sufficient reason would have been a 
positive rudeness on our part, as Orientals view it. There¬ 
fore we dismounted, and were conducted to Sheik Mossa’s 
tent.” 

Then, the traveler goes on to say, the best rugs were 
spread on the ground just inside the entrance of the tent, of 
which the rear curtain, or flap, was raised so that the visitors 
might have all the fresh air possible. The sheik called his 
wife who was just behind the tent flap which separated the 
woman’s part of the tent from the men’s part. Here she 
could hear what was said without herself being seen. The 
sheik told her to hasten and bake a cake of bread for the 
visitors, as Abraham, hundreds of years before, bade Sarah 
have bread prepared for the three guests who came to their 
tent. 

The sheik continued his hospitable preparations. He pre¬ 
pared coffee; he gave the guests curdled milk, or “ butter,” 
as the Bible calls it. The first cup of coffee was poured 
reverently to the ground as an offering to God. Then, while 
the sheik stood by, watching to see that everything was done 
in order, each guest received two cups of coffee. 

Meanwhile the sheik had asked the permission of the 
guests to slay a lamb for them, to be eaten with the bread 
that his wife was getting ready, but this would have taken 
too much time, so they refused his invitation. As they de¬ 
parted, he thanked them as if he alone had been honored 
by their visit. At last, kissing and pressing his forehead to 
the hands of his guests, he let the travelers go, giving them 
a profound salute as they rode away. 

So, in the East to-day there are many customs of hos- 


100 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


pitality much like those of Bible times. As you read over 
your lesson passage, compare these modern customs with 
those given there, and see in what ways Abraham was like 
the old sheik described by the modern traveler in the same 
part of the world. 


Handwork 

Continue the work begun last week of making the city of 
Sodom on the sand table. 

Notebook Work 

For your notebook, trace or draw free-hand the tent given 
in Chapter VII. See if you can find in a magazine a picture 
of a tree whose size is in proper proportion to the tent. 
Across a new page of your notebook, draw a line to repre¬ 
sent the sky line. Color the lower part of the page to 
represent the ground, and make the upper part dark, like the 
night sky filled with stars. Paste on the page the tree, which 
will represent the oak tree under which Abraham had his 
•tent, and put under the tree the tent which you have drawn. 
Make this poster page of your notebook as attractive and 
interesting as possible. 


Map Work 

Work on your relief map of Palestine. 

Expressionae Activity 

Try to show hospitality this week. If there is a visitor in 
your home, do something that will show you are glad to 
have him there. 


Memory Work 

“ GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH ” 

Here is another famous hymn to learn. It was written 
originally in Welsh by William Williams. In 1771 the first 
verse was translated into English by Rev. Peter Williams, 
and in 1772, the original author finished the translation and 
added a fourth verse. Few English hymns are so well 
known. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


101 


“ Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, 
Pilgrim through this barren land; 

I am weak, but thou art mighty, 

Hold me with thy powerful hand. 
Bread of heaven, 

Feed me till I want no more. 

“ Open now the crystal fountain, 

Whence the healing stream doth flow; 
Let the fire and the cloudy pillar 
Lead me 11 my journey through: 
Strong Deliverer, 

Be thou still my Strength and Shield.” 


SUNDAY SESSION 

ABRAHAM ENTERTAINING ANGELS 
Genesis 15:1, 2, 5; 18:9, 10 
The; Memory Verse 

“Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby 
some have entertained angels unawares.”—Hebrews 13:2. 

The Lesson Story 

The sun was blazing bright in the blue Eastern sky, for 
it was the hottest part of the day. Again Abraham sat in 
the door of his tent, which was pitched by the oaks of 
Mamre, near Hebron. As he sat there he must have been 
thinking of God’s words to him, for again God had come to 
him and again had repeated to him that wonderful promise 
which he had made when Abraham set out from Haran, 
Genesis 12:1-3, and when he had first settled in the Prom¬ 
ised Land, Genesis 13:14-16. This time God had said to 
him: “ Fear not. I am thy shield. Look now toward heaven 
and number the stars, if thou art able to number them. So 
shall thy children be.” 

Abraham was sure that God would fulfill his promise, 
though as yet he and Sarah had no child. He trusted in 
God’s plans for him and for his family. 

As he sat there at his tent door, something caused him to 
look up. And there, approaching him, were three men, 



102 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


strangers to him. As was the custom in those days, he hur¬ 
ried to meet them. He bowed low to the earth, and invited 
them in to rest and enjoy his hospitality—water, to wash 
their feet, shade from the burning sun under the great oak 
tree, food to strengthen them. 

As the three men accepted the invitation Abraham hur¬ 
ried to Sarah. “ We have guests,” he said. “ Make ready 
three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.” 

Then he quickly took one of the best calves from the herd 
and gave it to a servant to be killed and prepared. He pro¬ 
vided butter and milk, too. He was truly a generous host 
and was making generous preparations for his guests. 

Sarah and the women ground the grain between the round 
stone millstones; mixed the bread in queer, wooden troughs 
and made thin cakes of it. The servants prepared the meat, 



which was a delicacy not eaten every day. In the meantime 
the visitors rested in the cool shade. When the food was 
ready, the guests sat in a circle on the ground under the 
tree. Abraham placed before them the food which he had 
provided—the flat cakes, the calf roasted and served whole, 
so that each guest could tear from it with his fingers the 
piece he desired, the butter, and the milk. Abraham him¬ 
self did not eat with the guests. He “ stood by ” to do them 
honor, and to see that each received what he wanted. Sarah 
remained in the tent, for no woman had a share in such a 
feast. 

At first Abraham thought that his guests were men, but 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


103 


as they talked he found that God was talking to him through 
these messengers. 

“ Where is Sarah thy wife, ” one of them asked him, and 
Abraham answered, “ in the tent.” 

Sarah, listening, must have listened harder when she 
heard her own name. She did not know as yet that the men 
were speaking of God. When she heard them say, “ Sarah 
thy wife shall have a son,” at first she did not believe them, 
and laughed. 

But this was just one more way in which God repeated 
his promise to Abraham, his friend, who, in entertaining 
strangers, had entertained the messengers of the God whom 
he loved and served. The time was drawing closer when 
God wa's going to fulfill the first part of his promise that 
through the descendants of Abraham all the people of the 
world should be blessed. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Class 

Abraham showed true hospitality in providing for his 
guests. The food that he prepared was plentiful and of the 
best quality. When we have opportunity to be hosts, we, 
too, should give our best to our guests. If a friend of your 
own age comes to play with you, give him the choice of 
what games are to be played. Give him the first choice 
of your playthings. . 

If the friend who comes to visit you is older than you are, 
you should be still more careful to be generous and thought¬ 
ful. Go on errands for an older guest. Try always to be 
polite and obedient and to keep quiet if mother and father 
are having a good visit with company. Don’t interrupt a 
conversation of older people. Try in every way to make 
the guest have a good time, and then you will be following 
Abraham’s example. 

Is there a new boy in your class at school? Of course he 
feels strange. Remember the Golden Rule and try to make 
him feel at home. Put yourself in his place. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

God wants his followers always to be kind to others. One 
way of being kind is to be hospitable to guests, and to do 


104 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


all that we can do for them. Perhaps we may not be enter¬ 
taining angels, as Abraham did, but we should remember 
the words of Jesus, “ Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of 
these ... ye did it unto me.” 

How the; Great Guest Came 

By Edwin Markham 

Before the cathedral in grandeur rose, 

At Ingelburg where the Danube goes; 

Before its forest of silver spires 
Went airily up to the clouds and fires; 

Before the oak had ready a beam, 

While yet the arch was stone and dream— 

There where the altar was later laid, 

Conrad the cobbler plied his trade. 

Doubled all day on his busy bench, 

Hard at his cobbling for master and hench, 

He pounded away at a brisk rat-tat, 

Shearing and shaping with pull and pat, 

Hide well hammered and pegs sent home. 

Till the shoe was fit for the Prince of Rome. 

And he sang as the threads went to and fro: 

“ Whether ’tis hidden or whether it show, 

Let the work be sound, for the Lord will know.” 

Tall was the cobbler, and gray and thin, 

And a full moon shone where the hair had been. 

His eyes peered out, intent and afar, 

As looking beyond the things that are. 

He walked as one who is done with fear, 

Knowing at last that God is near. 

Only half of him cobbled the shoes: 

The rest was away for the heavenly news. 

Indeed, so thin was the mystic screen 
That parted the unseen from the seen, 

You could not tell from the cobbler’s theme 
If his dream were truth or his truth were dream. 

It happened one day at the year’s white end, 

Two neighbors called on their old-time friend; 

And they found the shop, so meager and mean, 

Made gay with a hundred boughs of green. 

Conrad was stitching with face ashine, 

But suddenly stopped as he twitched a twine: 

“ Old friends, good news! At dawn to-day, 

As the cocks were scaring the night away, 

The Lord appeared in a dream to me, 

And said, ‘ I am coming your Guest to be! ’ 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


105 


So I’ve been busy with feet astir, 

Strewing the floor with branches of fir. 

The wall is washed and the shelf is shined, 

And over the rafter the holly is twined. 

He comes to-day, and the table is spread 
With milk and honey and wheaten bread.” 

His friends went home; and his face grew still 
As he watched for the shadow across the sill. 

He lived all the moments o’er and o’er, 

When the Lord should enter the lowly door— 

The knock, the call, the latch pulled up, 

The lighted face, the offered cup. 

He would wash the feet where the spikes had been; 

He would kiss the hands where the nails went in; 

And then at last would sit with him 
And break the bread as the day grew dim. 

While the cobbler mused, there passed his pane 
A beggar drenched by the driving rain. 

He called him in from the stony street 
And gave him shoes for his bruised feet. 

The beggar went and there came a crone, 

Her face with wrinkles of sorrow sown. 

A bundle of fagots bowed her back, 

And she was spent with wrench and rack. 

He gave her his loaf and steadied her load 
As she took her way on the weary road. 

Then to his door came a little child, 

Lost and afraid in the world so wild, 

In the big, dark world. Catching it up, 

He gave it milk in the waiting cup, 

And led it home to its mother’s arms, 

Out of the reach of the world’s alarms. 

The day went down in the crimson west, 

And with it the hope of the blessed Guest, 

And Conrad sighed as the world turned gray; 

“Why is it, Lord, that your feet delay? 

Did you forget that this was the day?” 

Then soft in the silence a voice he heard : 

“ Lift up your heart, for I kept my word. 

Three times I came to your friendly door; 

Three times my shadow was on your floor 
I was the beggar with bruised feet; 

I was the woman you gave to eat; 

I was the child in the homeless street! ” 

—From volume, “ The Shoes of Happiness and Other Poems,” by Edwin 
Markham. Copyright by Edwin Markham and used by permission. 


106 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

HOW JUNIORS CAN BE HOSPITABLE 

I Peter 4:8-10 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

Abraham has given us very many examples which it 
would be well for us to follow. He has shown that he was 
kind and generous and obedient and faithful—a worthy 
friend of God. In our lesson for this week, he has set be¬ 
fore us an example of hospitality. He did not at first recog¬ 
nize that the three men who came to his tent were messen¬ 
gers from God. And yet he treated them with the greatest 
generosity. He set before them the best food and drink 
that he could provide. He showed himself in every way a 
polite and generous man. 

We Juniors, too, should be polite to guests who come to 
our homes, and to strangers who are really guests in our 
land. We should do our very best to make those who feel 
strange with us to feel at home and comfortable, sharing 
with them the best that we have of everything. 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, help us to be kind to strangers and 
polite to those who come as guests into our homes. Help 
us to be generous in giving them the best that we have. 
Help us to make them feel at home in our homes. Espe¬ 
cially we ask thee to help us to be kind to any foreign chil¬ 
dren or strangers in our school or in our neighborhood. 
Enable us to remember the words of Jesus, “ Inasmuch as 
ye did it unto one of these ... ye did it unto me.” Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Matthew 7:12; 25:34-40; Luke 14:12-14; I Corinthians 
13:4; Ephesians 2:19; 4:32. 

Hymns for Use in the Meeting 

“ Be Ye Kind.” 

“ O Jesus, Thou Art Standing.” 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


107 


“ Have You Had a Kindness Shown.” 

“ Somebody Did a Kind Deed.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Who wrote the verses given at the beginning of the 
lesson ? 

2. How long did he live after Abraham lived ? 

3. In what ways did Abraham, who lived so many hun¬ 
dreds of years before, show that he was like Peter’s idea of 
what a Christian should be? 

4. How may you be like Abraham at home? 

5. How may you be like Abraham in school? 

6. Have you done anything this week that shows that 
you are trying to follow Abraham’s example? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Peter’s Advice to the Followers of Christ. 

2. Entertaining Jesus. Luke 10:38, 39. 

3. How Juniors Can Follow Abraham’s Example in Be¬ 
ing Hospitable. 

4. The Stranger in Your Schoolroom. 

5. The Visitor in Your Home. 

6. Our Best for Our Guests. 

7. Hawthorne’s “ Miraculous Pitcher.” 

To Read in the Meeting 

Perhaps those whom we entertain will not prove to be 
angels, as were the three men whom Abraham entertained, 
but if we treat them kindly and politely, we shall find that 
the knowledge that God approves of our action will be re¬ 
ward enough. 

There may be a girl in your class in school who can 
hardly talk English. She is left out of your games and 
plays, and must be lonely. If you ask her to join in the 
game, she will probably be very glad, and you will find, on 
your part, that you enjoy having her. Try it and see. 

If Walter comes to- play with you some afternoon, do you 
play the games that he likes, or the games that you like? 
If you are trying to- follow the example of Abraham, and 
being truly hospitable, you will play the games that your 


108 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


\ 


guest likes best, and let him play with your favorite toys, 
if he wants to do' so. 

Do not think that Therese, or Pietro, or Paquita, or Ah 
Sid is not so good as we are because he cannot understand 
our language. When you find out what these strangers are 
really like, you may find that they are really fine friends for 
you, as Abraham found that the strangers who came to his 
tent were fine friends for him. 


CHAPTER XI 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE DOOM OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH 

Genesis 18:17-33 
The; Me;mory Ve:rse: 

“ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the 
wicked, 

Nor standeth in the way of sinners.” 

—Psalm 1:1. 


The: Lesson Story 

The three strangers who had been Abraham’s guests fin¬ 
ished their meal. They rose from their places under the 
shady oak tree, and turned toward Sodom. Abraham, as 
the custom was, started with them on their way. 

God was pleased with his servant. He planned once more 
to make Abraham the father of a great and mighty nation. 
He planned to tell Abraham what he was about to do. 

“ Sodom and Gomorrah are very wicked cities,” he said, 
“ and they must be destroyed.” 

Abraham was sad. “Wilt thou destroy all the people?” 
he asked. “ Wilt thou destroy the righteous as well as the 
wicked? Perhaps there may be fifty good men in the city. 
Wilt thou not spare the place if there are fifty righteous 
people in it ? ” 

And God said, “ If I find in the city of Sodom, fifty right¬ 
eous men, I will spare all the place for their sake.” 

. “ But perhaps there will be only forty-five good people,” 
said Abraham. “ Wilt thou destroy it because of a lack of 
five ? ” 

“ I will spare the city if there are forty-five good men in 
it,” God promised. 

So God and Abraham talked until God had promised his 


109 


110 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


faithful servant to spare the city if there were ten men and 
women in it who were righteous. Then Abraham returned 
home, still more sure than ever that he was God’s friend. 

In the meantime the angels had gone on to Sodom; they 
reached the city in the evening. Lot was sitting in the gate, 
which in those days was the place in which the important 
men of the city took counsel together and gave judgments 
and decisions. Lot, you see, had become one of the leading 
men of Sodom. 

When Lot saw the strangers approaching, he, too, carried 
out the laws of hospitality as they were known in those days. 
He bowed down before them, and invited them to his house 
for the night, offering them water with which to wash their 
feet. At first they refused his invitation, but they finally ac¬ 
cepted, and he made a feast for them, as his uncle Abra¬ 
ham had done earlier in the day. 

The men accepted Lot’s hospitality, and then because Lot 
was a believer in the true God, and in every way a better 
man than others in Sodom, they gave him a warning. 

“ Up, and get you out of this place,” they said, “ for 
Jehovah will destroy this city. Look not behind you, but 
escape to the mountain.” 

So Lot and his wife and his two daughters went out from 
the city. And at sunrise, “ Jehovah rained upon Sodom and 
Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah out of heaven; 
and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the 
inhabitants of the cities.” God had not found even ten 
righteous men in Sodom for whose sake he could spare 
the city. 

Lot and his wife and his two daughters fled toward a safe 
place. But Lot’s wife turned and looked back toward the 
city where she had lived for many years. And as she 
looked, she was turned into a pillar of salt. God, through 
his messengers, had commanded them not to look back. 
She had disobeyed and because of her disobedience, she was 
punished. 

And when Abraham rose in the morning and looked 
toward the plain, “ Lo, the smoke of the land went up as the 
smoke of a furnace.” The cities of the plain had disap¬ 
peared. And even to-day there is no trace of those cities 
left, which travelers can find. The salt waters of the Dead 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


111 


Sea, it is thought, cover the place where once lay the five 
great cities which were destroyed for their wickedness. 

Handwork 

Complete your sand-table representations of the cities of 
Sodom and Gomorrah. 

Notebook Work 

Enter the story of the destruction of the cities of the 
plain, in your notebook. 


Map Work 

Draw on the blackboard a map of Palestine, without put¬ 
ting in the Dead Sea. Instead, put dots to represent the 
cities of the plain. Then erase the cities, and draw the out¬ 
line of the Dead Sea, to show that people think that this 
sea, as it is nowadays, covers the plain where the great cities 
once were. 


Expressionar Activity 

Try during the week to be especially obedient to those 
through whom God sends his messages to you—your parents 
and teachers; and try, too, to find other messages to you, by 
reading your Bible. 

Memory Work 

Learn the remaining verses of the Memory Hymn, 
“ Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.” 

“When I tread the verge of Jordan, 

Bid my anxious fears subside; 

Death of deaths and hell’s destruction, 

Land me safe on Canaan’s side: 

Songs of praises 

I will ever give to thee.” 

The Dead Sea and the Cities oe the Plain 

What had been the fertile vale of Siddim was covered, in 
the time that this story was written, by the Salt (Dead) 
Sea. It is a disputed question whether the vale of Siddim 
in which were the “ cities of the plain ” was situated at its 


112 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


north or south end. “ For the north end, it is argued that 
Abraham and Lot looked upon the cities from near Bethel, 
whence it would be impossible to see the south end of the 
Dead Sea; that the name ‘Circle (or plain) of Jordan’ is 
inapplicable to the south end; and that the presence of five 
cities there is impossible. On the other hand, at the south 
end of the Dead Sea there lay, through Roman and 
medieval times, a city called Zoara by the Greeks and 
Zughar by the Arabs, which was identified by all as the 
Zoar of Lot. Jebel Usdum, at the southeast end, is the un¬ 
contested representative of Sodom. The name Kikkar 
(“circle”) may surely have been extended to the south of 
the Dead Sea; just as to-day the Ghor (lower Jordan val¬ 
ley) is continued a few miles to the south of Jebel Usdum. 
Jewish and Arab traditions fix on the south end; and finally 
the material conditions are more suitable there than on the 
north end to the description of the region both before and 
after the catastrophe, for there is still sufficient water and 
verdure on the east side of the Ghor to suggest the garden 
of the Lord, while the shallow bay and long marsh at the 
south end may, better than the ground at the north end of 
the sea, hide the secret of the overwhelmed cities.” (G. A. 
Smith). The Dead Sea, which is about forty-six miles long 
by nine miles wide, is now nearly divided in two parts 
toward the south end by a tongue of land jutting from the 
east shore. This tongue probably once joined the opposite 
shore, and formed the south limit of the Sea. But it is con¬ 
jectured that, by the action of an earthquake, a subsidence 
took place, and, as Professor Smith hints, what had been the 
fertile vale of Siddim became a desolate lagoon. The salt¬ 
ness of the water (twenty-six per cent as compared with the 
four per cent of the ocean) is due to the presence of a 
mountain of rock salt (Jebel Usdum) at the south end of 
the sea. Fish cannot live in it, not so much owing to its 
saltness, as to the excess of bromide of magnesium; and the 
extreme buoyancy of its waters is well known. The position 
of this salt mountain, and the occurrence of bitumen pits at 
the south end supports the theory of the position of the 
cities just mentioned. The name “ the Dead Sea ” occurs 
nowhere in the Bible, and has not been found earlier than 
the second century a. d. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


113 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE BIRTH OF ISAAC 
Genesis 21 :l-8 
The Memory Verse 

Thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my 
covenant with him.”—Genesis 17:19b. 

The Lesson Story 

To parents in the East the birth of a son is an event which 
is always accompanied with great rejoicing. In a book 
called “ When I Was a Boy in Palestine,” the writer says: 
“ It is not so very long since I was a boy in Palestine. My 
birth was welcome news to my father, and the woman who 
told it received as a reward a large silver coin. In most 
Oriental countries a boy is always prized more than a girl. 
The natural division of the people into classes causes this 
desire for boy children. Boys grow into men who strengthen 
the tribe. After hearing the news of my birth, my father 
had to furnish refreshments for all who were present. The 
men guests were served the usual coffee, while women and 
children were given candy and cucumbers, the latter being 
in season at the time.” 

In Abraham’s time as nowadays there was great rejoicing 
at the birth of an heir, and when at last the day came when 
the first part of God’s promise tO' Abraham was fulfilled, 
and a son was born to him and Sarah, there was great joy 
in the tents. There were great feasts among the herdsmen 
and shepherds and servants. Everyone rejoiced with Abra¬ 
ham and Sarah that a young chief had been born. The 
child was named “ Isaac,” as God had commanded, but the 
name, which means “ laughter ” was well suited, for his 
birth caused much joy among many people. 

Do you remember how long it had been since God first 
made the promise to Abraham that through his descendants 
all the nations of the earth should be blessed? He was 
seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran, where 
God had said to him plainly, “ I will make of thee a great 
nation, and I will bless thee, . . . and in thee shall all the 


114 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


families of the earth be blessed,” Genesis 12:2, 3. Now 
he was a hundred years old. Genesis 21:5. So you see that 
twenty-five years had passed since the promise was first 
made. It must sometimes have seemed to Abraham that 
God had forgotten him; but God never forgets, and at last 
his words were carried out. And they are still being car¬ 
ried out, for even to-day we are helping to carry out the 
promise, which meant that through Jesus, our Saviour, all 
the people of the world should be saved from sin, and be¬ 
come followers of the true God. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Liee of the Class 

The fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham began with 
the birth of Isaac. The greatest step in the fulfillment 
was the coming of Jesus Christ to the world. The fulfill¬ 
ment of the promise now rests with God’s people in the 
world, who are carrying out Jesus’ last command, “ Go ye 
into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole 
creation.” 

We can help in carrying out God’s promise by support¬ 
ing the work of missionaries. We can help this work with 
our offerings, with our prayers, with our interest. 

Abraham had faith that God’s promise would be carried 
out. We, too, should have faith though the answer to our 
prayers seems a long time in coming. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

God’s promises are always fulfilled. If we learn from 
faithful Abraham the lesson of faith, we shall “ trust and 
obey.” 

Bible Stories of Other Babies Whose Coming Brought 

Joy to the World 

Samuel. I Samuel, chapter 1. 

John the Baptist. Zacharias and Elisabeth, the father 
and mother of John the Baptist, were old people, as Abra¬ 
ham and Sarah were. To them, too, the birth of a son was 
foretold by an angel, and he, too, was given his name, 
“John,” by God’s command. Read of the rejoicing at his 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


115 


birth in Luke 1:58-66. He was called John because the 
angel said, “ Thou shalt call his name John.” 

Jesus, the Saviour. The name of Jesus was given to 
him by God when the angel said tO' Joseph, “Thou shalt 
call his name Jesus; for it is he that shall save his people 
from their sins.” At his birth there was rejoicing in heaven, 
and the angels sang of his coming, to save the people of the 
world from their sins; to fulfill the promise given to Abra¬ 
ham, through whom all the nations of the world were to be 
blessed. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

PRAYING FOR OURSELVES AND FOR OTHERS 

Jonah, chapter 3 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

When Abraham pleaded with God to spare the city of 
Sodom if there were ten righteous people in it, God granted 
his prayer. God is always ready to listen to those who 
pray for others. He was ready and willing to spare the 
city of Sodom even at the last, just as he spared the wicked 
city of Nineveh when the king and the people listened to 
the warnings of Jonah and were sorry for their sins. God 
is always the same. But he wants us to be sorry when we 
have done wrong, and to try to do better the next time. 
We who live to-day have One who pleads for us even better 
than Abraham pleaded for the people of Sodom—Jesus 
Christ, who came into the world to die for sinners, and so to 
save us from our sins. 

The Class Prayer 

We thank thee, our Father in heaven, for the life and the 
death of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who has given himself 
for us, and who, on the night on which he was betrayed, 
prayed not only for his followers during his own lifetime, 
but for all those that believed on him through their word. 
We pray that all the world may soon come to know of him 
and of thee, through the teachings of those who follow in 
his steps. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. 



116 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

I Samuel 1:17; I Kings 8:28; II Kings 19:15-20; Psalm 
4:1; 6 : 9 ; John 17:24-26; James 5 :16. 

Hymns for Use in the Meeting 

“ Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire.” 

“ Jesus, Gentle Saviour.” 

“ Jesus, Meek and Gentle.” 

“Jesus, Friend of Little Children.” 

“ Lord, Teach a Little Child to Pray.” 

“Jesus, from Thy Throne on High.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. How has God shown us that he wants us to pray for 
ethers ? 

2. Does he want us to pray for ourselves, too? 

3. What should we ask for in our prayers? 

4. What are the parts of a true prayer? 

5. Is prayer that is pleasing to God ever only asking for 
something ? 


Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Prayer Which Jesus Taught Us. Matthew 
6:9-14. 

2. The Pharisee and the Publican. Luke 18:10-14. 

3. The Prayer Which God Hears. 

4. The Parts of a True Prayer. 

5. Praying for Our Own Needs. 

6. Praying for Others. 

7. Prayer and Praise. 

What Others Have Said About Prayer 

“ Pray without ceasing.” 

“ Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire.” 

“ A generous prayer is never presented in vain.” 

“ More things are wrought by prayer 
Than this world dreams of.” 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


117 


“ He prayeth best who loveth best, 
All things both great and small; 
For the dear God who loveth us, 
He made and loveth all.” 


CHAPTER XII 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

ABRAHAM WILLING TO OFFER ISAAC 

Genesis 22:1-14 

The: Memory Verse 

“ Show ne thy ways, O Jehovah; 

Teach me thy paths.”—Psalm 25 :4. 

The Lesson Story 

The years passed rapidly, and Isaac, the young chief of 
Abraham’s line, grew from a laughing baby to a young man. 
His boyhood in the great black tents was happy; he was a 
gentle, quiet lad, a close companion of his father, whom he 
learned to obey and to trust absolutely. 

One day when he was quite grown up, we should say, 
his father called to him. 

“ Come, Isaac,” he said, “ we are going to make an expe¬ 
dition to the land of Moriah.” 

“ Why are we going, father? ” Isaac may have asked. 

“Jehovah God has commanded me to go thither to sacri¬ 
fice,” said Abraham. And this was true. God had com¬ 
manded Abraham to go to the land of Moriah, and there to 
sacrifice Isaac, his son, the pride and joy of his life. At 
this time Abraham did not tell Isaac what the sacrifice was 
to be. He was obedient to God; he knew that God had 
promised that Isaac should be the ancestor of a great race, 
and that now he was commanded to sacrifice him. How 
God would fulfill his promise he did not understand, but 
he trusted and obeyed. However, he did not tell Isaac. He 
did not tell anyone what God’s command had been. 

Early in the morning the party set out, Abraham and 
Isaac and two servants, with an ass bearing their supplies, 
the wood for the sacrifice, and the little vessel which con- 


118 





C. Arnold Slade. Used by permission. 


ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 






JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 119 

tained fire. All that day they traveled, camping - at night \ 
the next day they moved on again. On the third day as 
Abraham looked off into the distance he could see the place 
to which God had commanded him to go. 

This is the stopping place,” Abraham then said to his 
servants. “ I will take Isaac and go ahead to worship. 
Stay here until we come back.” 

You see that Abraham was very sure of God’s love for 
him and of God’s promise. He did not say, “ I ” will come 
again to you, but “ we ” will come again. His faith in God 
never wavered. 

Quickly they unloaded the ass. They placed on Isaac’s 
back the wood which they had brought. Abraham took in 
his hand his knife and the little vessel in which a spark of 
fire still burned, and he and Isaac went forward. 

“ Father, tell me something,” Isaac said. “ We have wood 
and fire here for our sacrifice, but where is the lamb for the 
burnt-offering ? ” 

Then Abraham showed once more how truly he trusted 
God. Even then he did not say to Isaac that he was to be 
the sacrifice. Instead he said what he hoped and knew in 
his heart must be true: “ God will provide himself the lamb 
for a burnt-offering, my son.” 

So talking, father and son went on until they came to the 
place of which God had told Abraham. Abraham built an 
altar. He bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar. 
He put out his hand to take the knife to kill the young man. 

And then God’s angel spoke from heaven. 

“ Abraham, Abraham ! ” he said. 

How happy the father must have been to hear that voice. 
How glad he must have been to answer, “ Here am I! ” 

“ Lay not thy hand upon the lad,” God’s words continued, 
“ neither do' thou any thing unto him; for now I know that 
thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, 
thine only son, from me.” 

And as Abraham lifted up his eyes he saw a ram caught 
in the thicket by his horns. Quickly he caught the ram. 
Quickly he unloosed Isaac and together they offered up the 
ram as a burnt offering. 

It must have been a true thank offering to God, who had 


120 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

in his way tested the faith of both his servants, Abraham 
and Isaac. 

And because God himself provided the lamb for the sac¬ 
rifice, Abraham called the place “ Jehovah-jireh,” “ In the 
mount of Jehovah it shall be provided.” 

Quietly and solemnly Abraham and Isaac must have gone 
back to the servants and turned their steps homeward. Rev¬ 
erently they must have thanked God that they had not 
failed in the test which he had set before them. 


Handwork 

Build an altar of stones on the sand table. 

Notebook Work 

Enter this lesson story in your notebook, and copy in con¬ 
nection with it the words of Hebrews 11:17-19. 


Map Work 

Bible students do not know exactly where to place the 
land of Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to sacri¬ 
fice Isaac. Some people think that it was the same as 
Mount Moriah, where the Temple at Jerusalem was later 
built. Other people think it was the land of Moreh, and 
still others think that it was Mount Gerizim. 

Find on your map the city of Jerusalem and mark this as 
one of the places where this test of Abraham’s faith may 
have taken place. 


Expressionae Activity 

Try hard this week to be obedient in every way to your 
parents and to your teachers, and to all whom God has made 
older and wiser than you. 


Memory Work 

In addition to your Memory Verse, learn Psalm 25 :5, 6. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 121 

SUNDAY SESSION 

GOD’S PROMISE TO ABRAHAM 
Genesis 22:15-19 
The Memory Verse 

“ I will establish my covenant with him for an everlast¬ 
ing covenant for his seed after him.”—Genesis 17:19b. 

The Lesson Story 

Once more, after Abraham had shown his willingness to 
obey God and to sacrifice Isaac, God’s message came to his 
obedient servant, promising that through him all the world 
should be blessed. This was the eighth time that such a 
promise to Abraham is given in the Bible. God told Abra¬ 
ham again and again what he meant to do for him. 

The First Time. “ Now Jehovah said unto Abram, Get 
thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy 
father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee: and I will 
make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make 
thy name great; and be thou a blessing: . . . and in thee 
shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 
12:1-3. 

This promise was made when Abraham was about to set 
out from Haran, in obedience to God’s command. 

The Second Promise. “ And Jehovah appeared unto 
Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land.” 
Genesis 12:7a. This promise was made when Abraham 
first entered the Promised Land. 

The Third Promise. “ And Jehovah said unto Abram, 
after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine 
eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward and 
southward and eastward and westward: for all the land 
which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for¬ 
ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so 
that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then may 
thy seed also be numbered.” Genesis 13:14-16. 

This promise was made after Abraham had generously 
given Lot the first choice of the land. 

The Fourth Promise. “ After these things the word of 


122 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Jehovah came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, 
Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. 
. . . And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now 
toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to 
number them: and he said unto him, So< shall thy seed be. 
And he believed in Jehovah.” Genesis 15:1, 5, 6a. 

This promise was made after Abraham had delivered Lot 
from the power of the four kings. 

The Fifth Promise. “ Jehovah appeared to Abram, and 
said unto him, I am God Almighty ; I will make my 
covenant between me and thee, ... I will give unto thee, 
and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all 
the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will 
be their God.” Genesis 17:1-10. 

This promise was made just before the visit of the three 
strangers to Abraham’s tent. 

The Sixth Promise. “ Abraham shall surely become a 
great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth 
shall be blessed in him.” Genesis 18:18. 

This promise was made just at the conclusion of the visit 
of the three strangers. 

The Seventh Promise. “ In Isaac shall thy seed be 
called.” Genesis 21:12c. 

This promise was made at the conclusion of the feast 
when Isaac was weaned. 

The Eighth Promise. “ And the angel of Jehovah called 
unto Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said, By 
myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, . . . that in blessing 
I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed 
as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon 
the sea-shore; . . . and in thy seed shall all the nations of 
the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” 
Genesis 22 :15-18. 

See in how many ways God promised to help Abraham. 
He will be a shield and a defender to him; he will be his 
exceeding great reward; his descendants shall be like the 
dust of the earth; like the stars in the sky, like the sands of 
the seashore—so many, that is, that they cannot be num¬ 
bered. And all these promises of God to Abraham have 
been fulfilled, as we who live hundreds of years afterwards, 
know. And because God was faithful in carrying out his 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


123 


promises to faithful Abraham, we know that he will be 
faithful in carrying out his promises to us, if we are faith¬ 
ful to him. 

Putting the: Lesson Into the: Life: of the: Class 

The land which God has promised to give to his followers 
of to-day if they are faithful to him, is the Promised Land 
of heaven. If we are obedient to him and faithful to his 
commandments, we shall be rewarded as was Abraham, for 
our obedience and our faith. 

God carried out his promise to Abraham in sending to the 
world our Saviour, Jesus Christ. We should try to help in 
carrying his promise to its complete fulfillment by obeying 
the command of Jesus, to go into all the world and preach 
his gospel to every creature. 

When we help in the work of the missionaries who are 
trying to fulfill the last command of Jesus, we are helping 
to fulfill God’s promise to Abraham. 

The: Lesson Truth in Your Life 

God wants his followers of to-day to be as faithful and 
obedient as was Abraham. Jesus will help us when we are 
trying to follow God’s commands, if we will ask him for 
help. We will try, with Jesus’ help, to follow the example 
of faithful Abraham. 


EXPRESSIONAL session 

GOD’S PROMISES TO US 
Hebrews 6:11-15; 10:23, 24 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

We have seen in the lessons that we have been studying 
some of the promises which God made to Abraham. From 
what we have learned we know how these promises have 
been fulfilled. To us, too, God has made promises, and he 
is sure to keep the promises which he has made to us, as 



124 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


he kept the promises made to Abraham. Some of these 
promises we can find in the Bible. Some of them we have 
studied, for instance, the promise to Noah that the world 
should never again be destroyed by flood. In token of this 
promise God set his bow in the clouds to remind his fol¬ 
lowers of all time of this promise that he made. 

To-day we are going to learn what some of these prom¬ 
ises are, and how we can help in bringing them quickly to 
pass. We have learned one way in which we can help to 
bring to pass the promise made to Abraham that through 
his descendants all the people of the world should be blessed. 
We help in doing this when we tell the good news of the 
coming of Jesus the Saviour to the world, when we help to 
send missionaries to tell others of him. We want to help 
to bring to pass as quickly as possible God’s promises to the 
people of the world. 

The: Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, help us to do the things we should, 
so that thy promises to us and to all the world may be ful¬ 
filled as quickly as possible. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Deuteronomy 1:11; 15:6; I Kings 8:56; Psalm 105:42; 
Luke 1:72, 73 ; Acts 2:39; 13 :32, 33 ; 26:6, 7; Romans 4:21; 
II Corinthians 1 :20; 7 :1 ; Galatians 3 :16, 18, 29; Ephesians 
3:6; Hebrews 10:23; II Peter 1:4; 3:9, 13. 

Hymns for Use in the Meeting 

“ The Lord Will Provide.” 

“ But the Lord Is Mindful.” 

“ The King of Love My Shepherd Is.” 

“ Thou Bid’st Us Seek Thee Early.” 

“ Children of the Heavenly King.” 

“ Ye Servants of God.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. What was God’s promise to Noah? 

2. What was the sign of that promise? 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


125 


3. Has it been fulfilled? 

4. What was God’s promise to Abraham ? 

5. How many times did he repeat this promise? 

6. How did God fulfill this promise? 

7. Has God made any promises to the people of to-day 
in the Bible? 

8. How can you help to make those promises come true ? 

9. Has God made any promises to you in the Bible? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Some Old Testament Promises. 

2. Some New Testament Promises. 

3. God’s Promises to Us. 

4. How God’s Promises Are Carried Out. 

5. Helping to Make the World Ready for the Fulfill¬ 
ment of God’s Promises. 

Some Bible Promises and Where They Are Found 

1. A Promise to Noah. Genesis 8:22. 

2. Another Promise to Noah. Genesis 9:11. 

3. A Promise to Abraham. Genesis 18:18. 

4. A Promise to Obedient Children. Exodus 20:12; 
Ephesians 6:2, 3. 

5. A Promise About Prayer. Matthew 7:7, 8. 

6. A Promise of Help. Isaiah 41 :10. 

7. A Promise of Eternal Life. I John 2:25. 

8. A Promise of a Crown in Heaven. James 1 :12; Rev¬ 
elation 2 :10b. 




REBEKAH AT THE WELL 
Genesis, chapter 24 
The Memory Verse 

“ And they blessed Rebekah.”—Genesis 24:60. 

The Story oe Isaac and Rebekah 

(You can plan to give this little play of Isaac and Re¬ 
bekah at the Week Day Session or at the Expressional 
Session of the school.) 

Characters, in Order oe Their Appearance 

Abraham, the chief of the tribe. At this time about 
one hundred and forty years old. 

EeiEzer, his servant. An elderly man. 

Rebekah, a young girl. 

Laban, her brother. 

Miecah, her grandmother. 

BetpiuEE, her father. 

Nahor, her grandfather, Abraham’s brother, a very old 
man. 

Isaac, Abraham’s son, a man of forty years old. 

Costumes 

These may be made of cheesecloth. Your teachers will 
help you with them. 


126 













JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 127 

Scene I 

Abraham’s Encampment at Beer-sheba. One of his tents. 

is shown. 

Abraham (alone). Sarah, my wife is dead, and Isaac, my 
son, and I are lonely without a woman in the great tent 
to command the servants and to prepare our food. I 
am an old man, and I would that Isaac should marry 
before I die. And yet—I would not have him take a 
wife from among these heathen neighbors. I would 
have him marry a follower of the true God, one of my 
kinsfolk. I will send my trusted servant, Eliezer, who 
rules over all my household, back to Haran, to the home 
of Nahor, my brother. There he shall find a wife for 
Isaac, who is a follower of Jehovah God, who will be 
a worthy successor to Sarah. (He calls.) Eliezer! 

(Servant enters.) 

Abraham. Eliezer, I have an errand for thee—an errand 
of importance. Swear to be true to me and I will tell 
thee all my plans. 

Eliezer. O my master, I will swear to do as thou com- 
mandest. 

Abraham. Swear that thou wilt not allow Isaac my son to 
marry a wife from among the Canaanites. 

Eliezer. I swear that I will not allow him so to do. 

Abraham. Then make ready to go to the home of my 
brother Nahor in Haran. There find a wife for Isaac, 
a follower of the true God. 

Eliezer. Perhaps I shall not be able to find a woman who 
will come with me. 

Abraham. Jehovah God has promised all this land to me 
and to my children and to my grandchildren. He will 
direct thee in the right way. She will come. But the 
journey is long, Eliezer—five hundred miles and more. 
Haste thee to prepare. Take ten camels with thee, and 
servants and gold and jewels. Make haste! The time 
grows short. Make haste ! 

Eliezer. I hasten, master, to obey. 


128 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

SCENE II 

Haran—the well. Slowly Eliezer approaches as if tired. 

(Seats himself on the well curb.) 

Eliezer. It is evening, and I am weary. The journey has 
been long, but it is finished at last. May God direct 
the choice of a wife for the son of my master, Abra¬ 
ham ! He will guide me. Let it come to pass, that the 
damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I 
pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, 
and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be 
she that is appointed for thy servant Isaac. 

(As he is speaking, Rebekah appears in the distance with 

a pitcher on her shoulder. Goes to the well and fills her 

pitcher, glancing curiously at the stranger.) 

Eliezer. Give me to drink, I pray thee, a little water from 
thy pitcher. 

Rebekah. Drink, my lord. (She lets down her pitcher 
into the well, and gives a drink to the old man.) I will 
draw for thy camels also, until they have done drink¬ 
ing. (Again lets down her pitcher into the well.) 

Eliezer (watching her. He speaks to himself). Here is a 
kind and beautiful maiden, careful for the beasts as well 
as for the man. (Draws from his stores a gold ring 
and two bracelets.) Damsel, come hither. Here is a 
present for thee in return for thy kindness. 

Rebekah (receiving the gifts with pleasure). Thanks, 
stranger. It is little that I have done to receive so great 
a reward. 

Eliezer. Whose daughter art thou? Tell me, I pray thee. 
Is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in? 

Rebekah. I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor. 
We have straw and food enough for the camels, and 
food and room for thee and for thy servants. (She 
hastens away.) 

Eliezer. Blessed be Jehovah, the God of my master Abra¬ 
ham, who has led me in the way to the house of my 
master’s brother! 

(Laban, Rebekah’s brother, enters and speaks to Eliezer.) 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


129 


Laban. Come, come, friend. Wherefore standest thou 
here? There is a place prepared for thee and for thy 
servants. Come, my friend, come. 

Scene III 

The house of Nahor. 

Miecah (Rachel’s grandmother). Here, friend, is food 
for thee. 

EliEzer. No, I will not eat until I have told my errand. 

Laban. Speak on. 

EeiEzer. I am the servant of Abraham. Jehovah hath 
blessed my master greatly; and he hath given him flocks 
and herds, and silver and gold, and men-servants and 
maid-servants, and camels and asses. My master has 
a son, Isaac, to whom he hath given all that he hath. 
He desires a wife for his son who is not one of the 
heathen Canaanites, and so he hath sent me hither to 
the city of his kinsfolk to find a wife for Isaac. 

Bethuel. It is true. Abraham is the brother of Nahor, 
my father. 

Nahor (a very old man). Yes, Abraham is my brother. 
Has he prospered in his wanderings, didst thou say? 

EeiEzer. Yes, he hath prospered. And when I came to 
Haran, I asked Jehovah God to point out to me the 
maiden who should be Isaac’s bride. And lo! Re- 
bekah came. Tell me, I pray you, shall Rebekah be 
the wife of Isaac? 

BethuEE and Laban. Behold, God hath planned these 
things, that Rebekah might be thy master’s son’s wife. 
Take her. 

EeiEzer (bows to the ground in prayer. Calls one of his 
servants). Hadad, bring forth the gifts that my master 
hath sent hither. (Presents gold and silver and gar¬ 
ments to Rebekah and to her mother and father.) 
Here is a ring for thee; and a garment for thee; and a 
bracelet for thee. My master Abraham is rich and 
generous. 


130 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Laban. We thank thee for thy kindness, O stranger. But 
come, let us eat and drink. 

EeiEzEr. Yes, let us eat and drink and rest, for to-morrow 
I would that we should set out on our journey. 

Laban. Let the maiden stay with us for a few days longer. 

EeiEzer. Hinder me not, friends. Let me go quickly back 
to my master. 

Milcah. We will let the damsel herself decide. What wilt 
thou do, Rebekah? 

Rebekah. I will go. Let my nurse be summoned. Let us 
prepare for the journey. 

Scene IV 

(Beer-sheba, again. Isaac in a field, alone. Eliezer and 

Rebekah, veiled, come near.) 

EeiEzer. Here is the damsel whom I have brought with 
me from Haran, O son of my master. She is the 
maiden, Rebekah, the granddaughter of thy father’s 
brother. 

Isaac. Welcome, Rebekah. (Takes her by the hand.) I 
will lead thee to my father. Thou shalt be my wife. 
Thou shalt have the tent of Sarah my mother and be 
mistress of the household. Welcome, Rebekah, wel¬ 
come. Here are my father and the servants. (Leads 
Rebekah forward, as Abraham enters.) Here, my 
father, is Rebekah, the maiden whom Eliezer has 
brought from Haran. 

Abraham. Welcome, Rebekah, daughter of my house. 
(Turns to his attendants.) Hasten and prepare the 
wedding feast, for to-day my son shall marry a wife 
who is a follower of the true God. Prepare the fatted 
calf, and wheaten cakes. Make ready! Hasten ! 

Handwork 

Preparing the costumes for the dramatization. 

Notebook Work 

Enter the story of Rebekah and Isaac in your notebooks. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


131 


Expressionae Activity 
Acting out the dramatization. 

Memory Work 

The memorization of the parts of this drama. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

• THE STORY OF REBEKAH 

Genesis, chapter 24 
The Memory Verse 

“ Let not kindness and truth forsake thee: . . . 

So shalt thou find favor and good understanding 
In the sight of God and man.”—Proverbs 3 :3a, 4. 

The Lesson Story 

“ Rebekah, it is time to draw the water for the evening 
meal. Go down to the well for it, my child.” 

Milcah, the grandmother of Rebekah, spoke. Rebekah 
turned obediently. She picked up the great stone pitcher 
and placed it on her shoulder. She went quickly toward 
the well where the women of the city drew the water that 
they needed for their households. 

Little did Rebekah know, as she went to the well, what 
God had in store for her. Little did she know that there 
was waiting for her at the well an old man whose coming 
would change her life. She glanced at him curiously when 
she first saw him. Then, when he asked her to draw for 
him a drink of water, she looked at him more closely. Of! 
in the distance she saw the ten camels and the servants be¬ 
side them. “ Drink, my lord,” she said, lowering the pitcher 
which she carried on her shoulder. “ I will draw water for 
your camels, also.” 

She lowered the pitcher into the well again and again. 
Quickly she drew water for those ten thirsty camels, which 
had been traveling for miles and miles over the desert sands, 



132 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


which were no doubt very thirsty after days and nights 
without water. 

But Rebekah did not hesitate. She let down the pitcher 
into the well over and over again. She drew water until all 
had had enough. She must have found the work hard; the 
pitcher must have been heavy as she pulled it up again and 
again and again. But she did it—and what is more, she 
drew the water without any hope of reward. She did not 
do it for pay. She did it voluntarily, that is, of her own 
free will. 

That is a lesson which the Bible wants us to learn. “ Be 
ye kind one to another,’’ the New Testament says. Be 
kind to everyone in all the world—friend or stranger, old or 
young, man or beast. 

Eliezer had asked God to point out to him by this very 
sign what maiden was to be Isaac’s wife. The result 
showed that Rebekah was kind-hearted, generous of her 
time and strength, and hospitable. She cared for animals as 
well as for people. She was like the Good Samaritan in 
Jesus’ parable, willing to do a kind act for a stranger of 
whom she knew nothing. 

And so God rewarded her. Eliezer first presented her 
with bracelets and a ring. Later the great result of her 
kind act came to her. She was chosen as the wife of Isaac, 
and so it has come about that her name has been handed 
down to us as that of one of the greatest women in the 
Bible, one of those whose name stands out as that of an 
ancestress of Jesus. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Ceass 

Rebekah was kind to a stranger. She showed respect for 
the old man. She is an example to all of us in kindliness and 
in respect for our elders. She received a reward, but she 
was not kind for the sake of the reward. So we, too, must 
be kind to others and respectful to our elders, not for the 
sake of any reward for which we may hope, but because it 
is right, and so we shall please the heavenly Father. 

Rebekah was kind to dumb animals. She thought of the 
camels, and of how thirsty they must be. She took care of 
their needs, even though it meant a great deal of extra work 
for her. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


133 


Are you always thoughtful of strangers as Rebekah was? 
Are you always thoughtful of old people and of what you 
can do for them? Do you always treat them with respect? 
Sometimes it seems a bother to get grandmother’s spectacles, 
or to listen when grandfather talks when you yourself want 
to talk, but you must remember that your grandmother and 
your grandfather are older and wiser than you are, and that 
you should treat them with respect. 

Abraham entertained angels unawares. Rebekah drew 
water from the well for Abraham’s servant without hope of 
a reward, but she received a great reward. So sometimes 
when we think that we are doing a great deal for others, we 
shall suddenly find that they are doing a great deal for us, 
and that we are being unexpectedly rewarded. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Lite 

The words of the Memory Verse: 

“Let not kindness and truth forsake thee: . . . 

So shall thou find favor and good understanding 
In the sight of God and man.” 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

HOW JUNIORS MAY BE KIND 
Ephesians 4:32 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

Perhaps it seems to you that because you are only a 
Junior, you cannot be kind to anyone or to anything. If 
you think that, you are mistaken, for there are many ways 
in which you can show yourself kind to others. 

The Boy Scouts have a law that they should do a kind 
act every day. A Christian Junior, whether a boy or a girl, 
should do better than the Scout pledge requires; he should 
do a kind act every chance that he gets, so he will be the 
sort of Christian that God wants him to be, helping when¬ 
ever he has a chance. 



134 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


The: Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, help us to be kind as Jesus told us 
that we should be. Help us to be kind to old people and to 
little children, to friends and relatives, and to strangers; to 
dumb animals as well as to people. We ask in Jesus’ name. 
Amen. 


Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Luke 6:35; I Corinthians 13:4; Proverbs 31:26; John 
2:13; 4:2; I Timothy 5:4; II Peter 1:7. 

Hymns for Use in the Meeting 

“ Somebody Did a Kind Deed To-Day.” 

“ Love Thyself Last.” 

“ Master, No Offering Costly and Sweet.” 

“ If You Cannot Cross the Ocean.” 

“ Has Some One a Kindness Shown.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. How can a Junior be kind to a stranger, so following 
Rebekah's example? 

2. How can a Junior be kind to an old person? 

3. How can a Junior be kind to an animal? 

4. Have you been kind to anyone this week ? 

5. Have you expected a reward when you were kind? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Kindness to Those We Do Not Know. 

2. Kindness in Our Own Family. 

3. Kindness in School. 

4. Kindness to the Stranger in School. 

5. Kindness to Pets. 

6. Kindness to Stray Animals. 

7. Abraham’s Kindness. 

8. Some Ways in Which Jesus Showed Himself Kind. 

To Read in the Meeting 

When you see in the street a strange person who is in¬ 
quiring the way to a house that you know, you will be kind 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


135 


if you direct him politely, or take him to the place where 
he wants to go. 

If there is a strange child in school, you should be sure to 
invite him to take a part in your games and plays. In do¬ 
ing this you will be kind. 

If baby sister falls, you will run to pick her up, and com¬ 
fort her. In that way you can be kind. 

If you never forget to feed your pet dog or kitten, you 
will be showing kindness to them. 

If you help your friend to learn the history lesson which 
she missed because she was ill, you will be showing kind¬ 
ness to her. 

“ Kind hearts are more than coronets/’ 


CHAPTER XIV 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE STORY OF JACOB AND ESAU 
Genesis 25 :27-34 

The: Memory Verse 

“ But desire earnestly the greater gifts.” 

—I Corinthians 12:31a. 

The Lesson Story 

Twenty years passed by, and Isaac and Rebekah had no 
children. And then, one day, there was great happiness in 
the encampment, for twin boys were born to them. The 
older twin had a great quantity of red hair, and so was 
called “ Esau,” a name which means “ hairy.” The other 
baby was named Jacob. 

As the boys grew up, they were very different. Esau was 
eager to be out of doors; he liked to hunt and to wander 
through the fields in search of game. Jacob was quieter 
than his brother. He liked to stay at home with his mother. 
He liked to listen to the stories of the old men of the en¬ 
campment, and particularly he must have enjoyed the listen¬ 
ing to Grandfather Abraham. The old grandfather, who 
was more than one hundred and sixty years older than the 
boys, must have told such interesting stories of far-away 
lands, of his travels from Haran, and down to Egypt. And 
particularly he must have impressed upon both the boys 
the wonder of God’s promise to him and to his descendants. 

“ Your children, my grandsons,” he may have said, “ will 
be a blessing to the whole world. God has promised this, 
and his promises never fail.” 

But, strange to say, Esau, the first-born, who would be 
expected to be the heir, did not care very much about Abra¬ 
ham’s stories. As he sat there by his grandfather, often his 


136 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


137 


thoughts were on the hunt of the next day. He did not care 
very much about the birthright, or about his children and 
his grandchildren. But to Jacob, Grandfather Abraham’s 
stories were most interesting. To him God’s promises meant 
much. 

When the boys were about fifteen years old, Abraham 
died, and was buried in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre, 
which he had bought at the time of the death of Sarah, his 
wife. There she, too, had been buried, and even to-day the 
tomb of Abraham is shown to travelers to the Holy Land. 

Jacob and Esau grew up. Esau was always the favorite 
of his father, Isaac, but Mother Rebekah cared more for 
quiet, thoughtful Jacob. 

One day Esau came back to camp from a hunting expedi¬ 
tion, tired and hungry. As he came near the tent he smelled 
a most appetizing odor. Jacob was preparing pottage—a 
sort of soup, made of lentils, and tasting something like the 
pea soup which we have to-day. 

“ I am faint with hunger,” said Esau. “ Give me some of 
that red pottage.” 

Now Jacob was really much cleverer than Esau. But he 
was not very kind or very honorable. If he had done right 
he would immediately have given his brother the food. But 
instead he played an unkind trick. He knew that Esau never 
thought about anything excepting just what he wanted at 
the moment. He took advantage of his brother’s hunger. 

“ I will give you the food if you will swear that I shall 
have the birthright,” he said. Of course he had no right to 
ask this, and Esau had no right to give it away, but the 
great, red-haired giant of a man did not think. 

“ What good will the birthright do me if I die of 
hunger ? ” he asked. 

“ Swear that I shall have it,” insisted Jacob. 

“ Oh, I swear that you shall have it! Now give me some 
of the red pottage.” 

And so, because Esau was hungry, and thought only of 
the needs of the moment, he gave up his rights as an elder 
son. He “ despised the birthright,” the Bible says, consid¬ 
ering that it was worth less to him than a good meal when 
he was hungry. He thought only of himself. He did not 
care at all about what happened in the future, nor for God’s 


138 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


promises to Abraham. And so he showed that he was not 
fit to help in carrying out the promise of God to Abraham. 
He lost his chance to be the ancestor of God’s chosen 
people. 

Nor does Jacob seem to have been the kind of man that 
God would want Abraham’s grandson to be. But in one 
thing Jacob excelled. He understood God’s promises. He 
felt that they were going to be carried out. And so, though 
he tried to obtain the birthright for himself, instead of wait¬ 
ing to find out if it was God’s will that he should have it 
and trusting God to give it to him in his own way, God 
knew that he could be made into a fit ancestor for his 
chosen people—Jacob had to fight against his sins, and to be 
punished for them, as you will see, but after many years he 
won the victory over temptation, and so became a great and 
good man. 


Handwork 

Put on the blackboard in your best writing or printing the 
first verse of the hymn, “ Nearer, My God, to Thee.” Make 
as attractive a decoration for the hymn as you possibly can. 

Notebook Work 

In your own words write in your notebook the story of 
the lesson. See that all the notebook work for the lessons 
so far is completed, and finish any work that has not been 
done. 


Expressionae Activity 

This week see if you cannot share some of your good 
things with some one who is hungry, or who does not have 
so much as you have. Perhaps you can give a sandwich to 
some one in school, or, if you have candy or cookies, you 
can share with others. So you will show that you are not 
like Jacob the selfish. 


Memory Work 

Almost all of you are familiar with the hymn, “ Nearer, 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


139 


My God, to Thee.” If you do not know the words of the 
first verse, learn them this week: 


“ Nearer, my God, to thee, 
Nearer to thee! 

E’en though it be a cross 
That raiseth me; 

Still all my song shall be, 
Nearer, my God, to thee, 
Nearer to thee.” 


This song was written by Mrs. Sarah Flower Adams, in 
1841, and has been translated into many languages. It has 
been the favorite hymn of many people, among whom was 
President McKinley. 

The Birthright 

This term denotes the rights or privileges belonging to 
the first-born among the Hebrews. The particular advan¬ 
tages which these conferred were the following: 

(1) Right to the priesthood. The first-born became the 
priest in virtue of his priority of descent, provided no 
blemish or defect attached to him. 

(2) Double portion. The first-born received a double 
portion of his father’s property. There is some difficulty 
in determining precisely what is meant by a double portion. 
Some suppose that half the inheritance was received by the 
elder brother, and that the other half was equally divided 
among the remaining brethren. This is not probable. The 
rabbis believe that the elder brother received twice as much 
as any of the rest, and there is no reason to doubt the cor¬ 
rectness of this opinion. When the first-born died before 
his father’s property was divided, and left children, the 
right of the father descended to the children, and not to the 
brother next of age. 

(3) Official authority. He succeeded to the official au¬ 
thority possessed by his father. 

—Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopedia. 


140 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

SUNDAY SESSION 

JACOB RECEIVES THE BIRTHRIGHT 
Genesis 27 :l-40 
The Memory Verse 

“ Lying- lips are an abomination to Jehovah; 

But they that deal truly are his delight.” 

—Proverbs 12:22. 


The Lesson Story 

The fact that Esau had promised to Jacob the birthright 
did not give it to him, for the old father, Isaac, had that 
right in his hands. Time passed, and probably careless Esau 
did not think very much of what he had done, but Jacob and 
his mother, Rebekah, did think of it. 

Isaac was getting to be a very old man, perhaps one hun¬ 
dred and twenty years old. His eyes were dim, now, and 
he knew that he did not have much longer to live. 

One day he spoke to Esau, the older son. “ My son,’’ he 
called. 

“ Here am I,” Esau answered. 

“ Behold now, I am old,” Isaac said. “ I know not the 
day of my death. Go out into the field and get me some of 
the venison that I like so much. Then, when I have eaten, 
I shall bless thee before I die.” 

Esau obeyed his father. He started immediately on the 
hunt. 

Rebekah had overheard what Isaac had said. She called 
her favorite son, Jacob. She told him what Isaac had said. 

“ But I have a plan whereby thou mayest have the bless¬ 
ing instead of thy brother,” she said. “ Go out to the flock, 
and bring in to me two of the very best kids that thou canst 
find. I will cook them in such a way that thy father will 
like the dish. Thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may 
eat, so that he may bless thee before his death.” 

“But my brother Esau is a hairy man, mother,” said 
Jacob, “ and my skin is smooth. Perhaps our father will 
touch me, and I shall seem to him a deceiver, so that he will 
curse me.” 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


141 


“ Go and do what I say, my son,” insisted Rebekah, “ and 
the curse shall be upon me.” 

Jacob obeyed. He brought the kids, and Rebekah pre¬ 
pared them, making the dish taste as much like venison as 
possible. Then she took from her store the garments which 
belonged to Esau as the older son, which she had carefully 
put away with sweet-smelling spices. She took the skin of 
the kids, and put it on the back of Jacob’s hands and of his 
neck. Then she gave him the food that she had prepared, 
and Jacob went to the tent where his father was. 

“ Which of my sons art thou ? ” Isaac asked. 

“ I am Esau,” answered Jacob, lying. “ I have done as 
thou badest me do. I pray thee eat of my venison, that thy 
soul may bless me.” 

“ How is it that thou hast found the meat so quickly, my 
son ? ” Isaac asked. 

“ Because God helped me,” answered Jacob. 

“ Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, 
whether thou be my very son Esau or not,” were Isaac’s 
next words. He must have been suspicious. 

Jacob went closer to his father. The old man felt his 
arms and hands. He said wonderingly, “ The voice is 
Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 

Still he was not sure. “ Art thou my very son Esau ? ” 
he asked again. And Jacob lied again, “ I am.” 

At last Isaac was persuaded. He ate the food which Re¬ 
bekah had prepared, and then called Jacob to him. He 
kissed him, and as he smelled the odor of the spices in the 
garments which Jacob wore, he gave the birthright blessing: 

“ See, the smell of my son 

Is as the smell of a field which‘Jehovah hath blessed: 

And God give thee of the dew of heaven, 

And of the fatness of the earth, 

And plenty of grain and new wine: 

Let peoples serve thee, 

And nations bow down to thee: 

Be lord over thy brethren, 

And let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: 

Cursed be every one that curseth thee, 

And blessed be every one that blesseth thee.” 

That was a wonderful blessing, was it not? If only 


142 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Jacob had obtained it honestly! But he had deceived his 
father, and soon he was to begin to pay for his deception. 
Esau returned from the hunt. He prepared the venison and 
brought it to Isaac, and his father discovered that he had 
been deceived. How angry and sorrowful he was, and how 
angry Esau was, also! 

“ Thy brother came with lies, and hath taken away thy 
blessing,” the father said. 

“ Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me, also? ” asked 
Esau sorrowfully. 

“ I have made thy brother lord, and have given him all,” 
said Jacob. “ What then shall I do for thee, my son?” 

“ Hast thou but one blessing, my father ? bless me, even 
me also, O my father.” And Esau wept aloud. 

Isaac could not give to Esau the blessing that he had given 
to Jacob, but he spoke words of blessing to his older son, 
and tried to comfort him: 


“ Behold, of the fatness of the earth shall be thy dwelling, 

And of the dew of heaven from above; 

And by thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy 
brother; 

And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt break loose, 

That thou shalt shake his yoke from off thy neck.” 


Of course Esau hated Jacob for what he had done. God, 
too, was displeased that Jacob had tried to take the birth¬ 
right by falsehood and deception. Jacob could not have it 
in this way. He must be punished for his sins, until he 
should learn better things. 

Probably the household in the encampment of Isaac was 
not happy that night. Isaac was unhappy because he had 
been deceived. Rebekah was unhappy because she had de¬ 
ceived her husband and had been unfair to her elder son. 
Esau was unhappy because he had been cheated, and as for 
Jacob—his conscience must have hurt, as he wondered what 
would come to him next. 

So sin brought unhappiness to the descendants of God’s 
faithful servant, Abraham. And it brought still more un¬ 
happiness, as you will learn through your next lessons. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


143 


Putting the Lesson Into the Lite of the Class 

There are four people in the lesson that we study for to¬ 
day: Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Esau. Which one of them 
do you like best? Jacob and Rebekah deceived Isaac and 
cheated Esau. Jacob told lies to his father. God hates a 
lie. So do human beings. Jacob thought that he had gained 
something good for himself by lying. But God would have 
brought that good thing to him in his own good time, with¬ 
out the lies. Does it ever seem to you that a lie will do 
good? If you try it, you will find that you are wrong. A 
lie is never justifiable. 

Lies which on the surface seem to harm no one, are some¬ 
times called “ white lies.” But even if a lie does not seem 
to harm anyone else, it always harms the person who tells 
it. It makes it easier for him to tell the next lie, and the 
next, and the next, until at last he tells a lie that does harm 
some one else, as well as himself. 

White Naughtiness 

“ A little white lie came tiptoeing by, 

Whispering, ‘Almost true!’ 

But it spoiled, so they say, 

A little boy’s day; 

And his honor was stained by it, too— 

Oh, yes! 

Such harm can a white lie do.” 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

God hates lies, and sometimes the Devil is called “ the 
father of lies.” It is pleasing to God and more honorable 
to men to keep my tongue from lying, and to tell the truth 
always. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

OUR BIRTHRIGHTS 
Romans 8:14-17 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 
In our lesson about Jacob and Esau we have learned how 



144 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Esau “ despised ” his birthright, and sold it for a mess of 
pottage. We Juniors of to-day have a birthright as well as 
Esau had, though the birthright does not mean the same to 
a Christian American Junior as it did to Esau in the days of 
the past. But we all of us are born equal, as the Declara¬ 
tion of Independence says: we all have the same inheritance 
of glorious memories from those great men who founded 
our government. We all have the opportunities of school. 
We all have the opportunity to be honest and truthful. 
When we grow up we all shall have the opportunity of vot¬ 
ing and helping to govern our great country. Best of all, 
we have the birthright of a knowledge of God and of Christ, 
and of the Bible. All these things can belong to all of us. 
Some of us may “ despise ” them, and give them up in ex¬ 
change for a trifle, as Esau gave up his birthright; we may 
give up our right to learn the lessons which are given us in 
school, for instance, because we are idle, and would rather 
play than study. We may give up our birthright of honor, 
if we cheat in an examination, exchanging a good conscience 
for a good mark in a test—a poor exchange, indeed. Let us 
try to be worthy of our birthright as Christian American 
Juniors, and try to appreciate it as we should. 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we want to keep our inheritance 
honorable as we received it from those who made our coun¬ 
try what it is, and who established our government in thy 
name. We want to appreciate our birthright as Christian 
American Juniors, and thus to show honor to thee. We ask 
thy help in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Verses eor Use in the Meeting 

Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:29; Ephesians 3:6; Titus 
3 :6, 7; James 2 :5. 

Hymns eor Use in the Meeting 

“ Children of the Heavenly King.” 

“ The Son of God Goes Forth to War.” 

“ My Soul Be on Thy Guard.” 

“ Keep Thou the Door of My Lips.” 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


145 


“ Lead Us, Heavenly Father.” 

“ Brave Hearts, True Hearts.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. What was a “ birthright ” in Bible times? 

2. If you cheat in a school examination, how are you 
despising your birthright? 

3. If you neglect your work in school because you are 
lazy, or want to play, how are you despising your birth¬ 
right ? 

4. If you do not vote, when you grow up, how are you 
despising your birthright? 

5. If you do not go regularly to church and to Sunday 
school, how are you despising your birthright ? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Birthright in Bible Times. 

2. The Birthright of a Christian American Junior. 

3. Our Birthright as a Nation. 

4. How Adam and Eve Despised Their Birthright as 
God’s Children. 

To Read During the Lesson 

Many times we read in the Bible of those who sold their 
birthright for something of little value. We are so apt to 
give up what is really valuable for something that is of 
little worth. Adam and Eve gave up their inheritance in 
exchange for fruit. Lot’s wife gave up her life and became 
a pillar of salt in exchange for a look back at Sodom. 
Ahab committed murder for a pretty garden. Joseph’s 
brothers sold him for twenty pieces of silver—and Judas 
betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. All these people 
sold their inheritance in exchange for “ a mess of pottage,” 
—gave up something of value for something that was of 
very little value. 

John Bunyan has told us that in his hours of temptation, 
he used to hear a whisper, “ Sell Christ for a pin, sell him 
for a pin ! ” 

“ A ship was sinking, and as the last boat was being 
loaded, the mate said that he was going to get his purse. 


146 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


The captain expostulated, but the mate insisted. As he was 
gone on his errand, the ship went down. By and by they 
found the dead body of the mate, his stiffened hand tightly 
grasping the fatal purse. And when they opened it, they 
found in it—only thirty-six cents! ” 


“ Our fathers were high-minded men, 

Who firmly kept the faith; 

To freedom and to conscience true, 

In danger and in death; 

Great names had they, but greater souls, 
True heroes of their age, 

Who like a rock in stormy seas, 

Defied opposing rage. 

“ For all they suffered, little cared 
Those earnest men and wise; 

Their zeal for Christ, their love of truth, 
Made them the shame despise; 

Nor should their deeds be e’er forgot, 
For noble men were they, 

Who struggled hard for sacred rights, 
And bravely won the day. 


“As faithful as our fathers were, 

May we, their children, be; 

And in our hearts their spirit live, 

That gained our liberty. 

God help us all to do and dare 
Whatever can be done. 

Till for the cause of good and truth 
The victory shall be won.” 

“ My Father is rich in houses and lands; 

He holdeth the wealth of the world in his hands! 
Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold, 

His coffers are full—he has riches untold! 


“ I’m the child of a King! 
The child of a King! 

With Jesus, my Saviour, 
I’m the child of a King! ” 


STORIES OF THREE PATRIARCHS (Continued) 




CHAPTER XV 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE FIRST RESULT OF JACOB’S SIN 
Genesis 27:41 to 28:9 

The Memory Verse 

“ Hatred stirreth up strifes; 

But love covereth all transgressions.” 

—Proverbs 10:12. 

The Lesson Story 

It must have been very uncomfortable in the home of 
Isaac and Rebekah after Jacob had deceived his father and 
tried to cheat his brother. No home can be really happy 
where there is deception. No home can be happy where 
mother and father and brothers quarrel and try to get the 
better of one another. 

Jacob soon found that nothing which is really good can be 
obtained by wrongdoing. The way to get the birthright 
blessing was not by lying and cheating. 

“ Your brother Esau hates you, and is planning to kill 
you,” Rebekah said to him one day. “ I think that it will be 
best for you to go away from home for a while. He will not 
do you any harm until your father dies, but then ”—and she 
must have shuddered as she thought of a quarrel between 
strong, hot-tempered Esau, and quiet, home-loving Jacob. 

Rebekah was very clever. She always knew just how to 
get her own way. She went to her husband. She did not 
tell him that she was afraid that Esau would kill Jacob. 

“ I do not want Jacob to marry one of these heathen 
women who live near us,” she said. “ Let him go to the 
home of my brother Laban, in Paddan-aram, and find a 
wife there.” 

You remember that Abraham had sent his servant to the 
home of his brother in Haran to find a wife for Isaac. And 


149 


150 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Isaac agreed with Rebekah that it was best for Jacob to do 
as he had done. He called him to his side. He blessed him 
and sent him on his errand, telling him to choose a wife 
from among the followers of the true God. 

But as Jacob set out from home, he knew that he was 
going for a very different reason. He knew that he was 
fleeing for his life, trying to escape his brother’s anger. He 
was suffering from the first result of his sin. He had to 
leave his comfortable tent home. He did not know whether 
or not he would ever see his mother and his father again. 
He would have to work hard for many years in Haran. It 
must have seemed to him as he set out on his journey that 
he was not to receive the birthright blessing, that God was 
taking it from him, rather than giving it to him. 

Perhaps his conscience hurt him, too, for Jacob had many 
good qualities as well as the bad qualities that he had shown. 
At any rate, as he left home, he must have felt unhappy and 
dissatisfied about what he had done in trying to gain the 
birthright for himself, rather than in waiting for God’s pur¬ 
pose to be carried out. 

As for Esau, he, too, must have been unhappy. He had 
done wrong, also. He had been careless and wicked, and his 
act had caused his brother to go away from home. And 
Rebekah and Isaac, too, must have been unhappy. Instead 
of peace and joy in the encampment of God’s people, there 
was sorrow and unhappiness, because of the sin of those 
who should have known better than to do the wrong which 
they had done. 


Notebook Work 

Continue the story of Jacob and Esau, which you began 
last week in your notebook. Pretend that you are Esau, and 
write a short account of what he thought. 

Map Work 

At the time of this lesson, the tents of Isaac and Rebekah 
were in Beer-sheba. Draw on the blackboard a map of the 
country between Haran and Beer-sheba. The distance be¬ 
tween the two places was about five hundred miles. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


151 


Expressionae Activity 

_ Try this week to live happily with your brothers and 
sisters and schoolmates. Be sure not to quarrel with anyone, 
particularly if there is any way in which you are to blame. 

Memory Work 

Learn this week the second verse of the hymn, “ Nearer, 
My God, to Thee,” which you began last week. 

“ Though like the wanderer, 

The sun gone down, 

Darkness be over me, 

My rest a stone; 

Yet in my dreams I’d be 
Nearer, my God, to thee, 

Nearer to thee!” 

Is a Junior Ever Like Jacob? 

It was right for Jacob to want God’s blessing. It is right 
for boys and girls to want good marks in their school work. 
It is right for them to try to get such marks. But—there is 
a right way and a wrong way of trying to get what we want. 

It is wrong to try to get a good mark by cheating. 

It is wrong to try to get a good mark by copying the work 
of some one else. 

It is right to try to get a good mark by studying hard and 
doing as well as you can the work given to you to do by your 
teacher. 

It is right to try to get a good mark by being attentive 
and studious in class. 

It is right to try to get a good mark by making all your 
papers just as neat and complete as possible. 

Jacob was right in wanting God’s blessing, but he was 
wrong in the way he tried to get it. He should have worked 
and prayed and tried to do his very best in his life. Then 
God would have given him the birthright just the same, but 
he would not have had to feel his brother’s hatred. He 
would not have had to leave his home, which he loved so 
much, and live for many years in a strange land. 

So you, too, will hnd that it is the happiest thing to 

“ Do your duty. That is best. 

Leave unto the Lord the rest.” 


152 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


You will find that honesty, fairness, generosity will pay in 
the end in our lives as well as they would have paid in 
Jacob’s life. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

JACOB’S VISION OF A LADDER TO HEAVEN 

Genesis 28:10-22 
The: Memory Ve:rsl 

“ And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whither¬ 
soever thou goest.”—Genesis 28:15a. 

The: Le:sson Story 

Jacob toiled along the weary way to Haran. He was 
alone, and the road was rough and lonely. For several days 
he had been walking on and on and on, and he was feeling 
more and more sorry for what he had done. As a boy and 
as a man Jacob had always loved his home. He loved his 
mother, and, though he had deceived his father, he loved him, 
too. He was homesick and tired and he must have felt that 
he was being punished for his sins. Perhaps his mother, 
Rebekah, had told him when he was a little boy of the way 
in which his grandfather Abraham had sent his head servant 
with ten camels and attendants, when he had sought her as a 
wife for Isaac. Perhaps Jacob felt that when he went to 
seek a wife, he, too, should have been riding along attended 
by servants and camels, instead of walking wearily along, 
alone, really a fugitive running away from home, instead of 
the son of a rich man, going to seek a wife. 

One night as the sun went down in the west, he found 
himself in a strange place called Luz. There were no houses 
or tents near by where he might ask for a night’s shelter— 
nothing but rocks and stones and wild, unsettled country. 
He was so tired from his journey that he did not take time 
to make a camp for the night. He just lay down on the 
ground with a large stone as a pillow. And there he fell 
asleep, worn out with the things that had happened to him 
during the day. 






Copyrighted by Harold Copping Harold Copping 

•JACOB’S VOW 





JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


153 


But as Jacob slept in this uncomfortable bed, he dreamed 
a wonderful dream. It seemed to him that a ladder extend¬ 
ing from earth to heaven had been set up. Angels of God 
were ascending and descending the ladder. But most won¬ 
derful of all, the Lord himself stood at the top of the ladder, 
and he spoke words of comfort to Jacob! Even though 
Jacob had been wicked and unkind, God was willing to for¬ 
give him and fulfill through him the promise that had been 
made to Abraham. He would be the God of Jacob, as he 
had been the God of Abraham and Isaac, and though his 
words showed that Jacob would have to wander far from 
home and be punished, God promised to be with him always; 
he promised, also, that Jacob should return to his own land 
from which he was now going out as an exile. 

How do you suppose that Jacob must have felt when he 
wakened from his sleep? He knew that God had spoken to 
him in this dream, and he was filled with fear and reverence 
as he said, “ Surely Jehovah is in this place; and I knew it 
not.” He was afraid as he thought of his own sins. He 
felt that the place was the gate of heaven, where God had 
spoken to him, and he was filled with reverence. 

When he woke in the morning he took the stone that he 
had used as a pillow and set it up for a pillar; that is, he 
made it a sort of altar. Then he took from his store of sup¬ 
plies a little cruse of oil. He poured the oil upon the stone, 
as the custom was, and-vowed a vow, that if God would bless 
him and care for him, he would worship God, the Lord, and 
be his follower. 

The name of the place where Jacob rested that night under 
the stars had been Luz, but he gave it a new name, “ Bethel,” 
the house of God, because there he had come first to know 
God really and to begin to understand what God wanted him 
to do. Jacob would need much training before he was 
worthy to receive the fulfillment of God’s promise, but the 
time would come when he had learned his lesson and had 
become God’s true worshiper. 

Putting the; Lesson Into the Lite oe the Class 

God’s followers have to be trained before they understand 
what he wants them to do, and are willing to do it. Jacob 
had to learn many lessons before he was worthy to be the 


154 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


ancestor of God’s chosen people, and so does everyone else 
in the world. 

Even when we have sinned, God is with us, watching over 
us, willing to help us when we are ready to receive his help. 

Jacob saw in his dream a ladder which reached up to 
heaven, where angels descended and ascended, carrying 
God’s messages to the people of the world. Charles Wesley 
has written a hymn in which he says that Jesus, our Lord 
and Saviour, is the Ladder which reaches between man and 
heaven. 


Jesus that Ladder is, 

Th’ incarnate Deity, 

Partaking of celestial bliss 
And human misery. 

Sent from his high abode, 

To sleeping mortals given, 

He stands and man unites to God, 

And earth connects to heaven. 

Memory Work 

Learn the last verses of “ Nearer, my God, to Thee.” 

“ There let the way appear, 

Steps unto heaven: 

All that thou send’st to me 
In mercy given: 

Angels to beckon me 
Nearer, my God, to thee, 

Nearer to thee! 

“ Then, with my waking thoughts 
Bright with thy praise, 

Out of my stony griefs 
Bethel I’ll raise; 

So by my woes to be 
Nearer, my God, to thee 
Nearer to thee! 

“Or if on joyful wing 
Cleaving the sky, 

Sun, moon and stars forgot, 

Upwards I fly, 

Still all my song shall be, 

Nearer, my God, to thee, 

Nearer to thee! ” 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


155 


“ Nearer, My God, to Thee ” 

Your Memory Work during the past two weeks has been 
the hymn, “ Nearer, My God, to Thee.” Now that you have 
studied the lesson about “ Jacob’s Vision of a Ladder to 
Heaven,” the meaning of the song should be clearer to you. 
Read the hymn once more, and then look especially at the 
second, third, and fourth verses. See in how many ways 
our lesson about Jacob is touched upon. “ My rest a stone ” 
refers to him, as does the reference to the ladder which he 
saw, and the angels, referred to in verse 3. In the fourth 
verse, the lines 


“ Out of my stony griefs 
Bethel I’ll raise,” 

means that even in the midst of trouble and sorrow it is 
possible to know that God is caring for us and to give thanks 
to him for his goodness and kindness. 

In telling of this hymn Dr. Louis F. Benson says: 

“ It is likely that this hymn will always be associated with 
the tragic death of President McKinley. The last words of 
the President, as reported by the attendant physician, were: 
‘ “ Nearer, my God, to thee, E’en though it be a cross,” has 
been my constant prayer.’ It is not unnatural that the 
grieved heart of the American people was deeply touched by 
such allusion under such circumstances. The hymn was 
sung in hundreds of churches over the country on the Sun¬ 
day following, and in memorial gatherings of every sort. 
One heard the familiar strains of the tune from strong- 
lunged bands of itinerant musicians in city streets, the street 
children and their elders often gathering about the perform¬ 
ers, and perhaps joining in the hymn. On the day of the 
burial at Canton, Thursday, September 19th, 1901, all traffic 
in the cities stopped, by previous arrangement, at half past 
three o’clock, and for five minutes there was silence. People 
in the trolley cars rose and those in the streets bared their 
heads and stood, often joining in singing the words of the 
hymn. In Union and Madison Squares, New York City, 
immense throngs had assembled, and after the period of 
silence, bands played ‘ Nearer, My God, to Thee,’ and then 
4 Lead, Kindly Light,’ a favorite hymn of the dead Presi- 


156 


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dent, during which every head in the throng remained un¬ 
covered. The whole occasion was remarkable as a demon¬ 
stration of popular feeling in which reverence seemed to 
have a share. Has any other hymn ever received such 
popular recognition ? ” 

Some: Bible: Dreams and Visions 

On a separate page of your notebook write something 
about Bible dreams. You will find some of these by looking 
up the following references: 

Genesis 31:24 (Laban). 

Genesis 37:5-10 (Joseph). 

Genesis 40:7, 8 (Pharaoh’s Officers). 

Genesis, chapter 41 (Pharaoh). 

Genesis 46:2-4 (Jacob). 

Judges 7:13 (Gideon’s Enemy). 

1 Kings 3:5-15 (Solomon). 

Daniel 2:1-13, 36, 37 (Nebuchadnezzar). 

Matthew 2:13, 19-22 (Joseph, the Husband of Mary). 

Matthew 27:19 (Pilate’s Wife). 

Acts 9:10-12 (Ananias). 

Acts 16:9; 23:11 (Paul). 

The: Lesson Truth in Your Life 

God is always near to his people of the world. No matter 
how far from him you think that you are, he is close by; he 
will hear your slightest whisper if you call to him. He 
watches always over his children everywhere. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

OUR WAY TO HEAVEN 
John 14:1-6 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

As Jacob slept that night at Bethel under the stars, he saw 
a ladder which seemed to reach from earth to heaven. God 
was above the ladder, and angels ascended and descended it, 
bearing his messages to the world. 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


157 


We who have lived since the days of Jesus have a better 
knowledge of the way to heaven than Jacob had, for Jesus 
himself has told us, “ I am the way, and the truth, and the 
life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.” In talking 
to one of the first disciples who came to him (John 1 :51), he 
promised him, “ Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see 
the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and 
descending upon the Son of man.” In these words he re¬ 
ferred to the ladder of Jacob. Do you not think that we 
who know this better way to heaven should follow the ex¬ 
ample which Jesus has set before us? 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we thank thee that thou hast sent 
thy Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Way, and the Truth, and 
the Life. Help us to be like him, and to do those things that 
he would have us do. We ask for his sake. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Genesis 28:12, 13; Exodus 33:13; John 1:51; Proverbs 
3:13, 17; 4:18; Acts 16:17; 18:26; Hebrews 10:19, 20. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ O God of Bethel.” 

“ Nearer, My God, to Thee.” 

“ How Strong and Sweet My Father’s Care.” 

“ Night and Day.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Where was Jacob at the time when the vision of the 
ladder to heaven appeared to him ? 

2. Tell what you can of what the vision of the ladder to 
heaven meant to Jacob. 

3. When did Jesus tell his disciples that he was the Way, 
and the Truth, and the Life? 

4. The early Christians were called followers of “ the 
Way.” Why do you think that this was so? Acts 24 :14. 

5. Do you follow “ the Way ” in your everyday life? 


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JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


6. Are you trying to do as God would have you do; that 
is, follow the example of Jesus in all that you do and say? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Hymn, “ Nearer, My God, to Thee.” 

2. Jacob’s Way to Heaven, and Our Way. 

3. How We “ Climb the Steep Ascent of Heaven.” 

4. Following Jesus Day by Day. 

To Be Read During the Meeting 

“ Heaven is not reached at a single bound, 

But we build the ladder by which we rise 
From the lowly earth to the vaulted skies, 

And we mount to its summit, round by round/' 

“Around your lifetime golden ladders rise; 

And up and down the skies, 

With winged sandals shod, 

The angels come and go, the messengers of God.” 

Jesus told his disciples that he was going to the heavenly 
home, where he would prepare a place for them. He is the 
Way which we must follow if we would reach the place 
prepared for us. 

“ A noble army, men and boys, 

The matron and the maid, 

Around the Saviour’s throne rejoice, 

In robes of light arrayed: 

They climbed the steep ascent of heaven 
Through peril, toil, and pain: 

O God, to us may grace be given 
To follow in their train.” 


CHAPTER XVI 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

JACOB IN HARAN 
Genesis 29:1-12; 31:1-3, 48-55 
The Memory Verse 

“ And Jehovah said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of 
thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.” 

—Genesis 31:3. 


The Lesson Story 

As Jacob journeyed on toward Paddan-aram, he must 
have felt happier than he had been before he had seen the 
vision of the ladder to heaven, and had heard God’s promise. 
He must have felt that God was ready to forgive him, even 
although he had sinned. 

He journeyed on and on, going on foot over the way which 
Eliezer, his grandfather’s servant, had gone years before, 
with attendants riding on camels, and with gifts and jewels 
for the bride whom he was seeking for his master’s son 
Isaac, who was Jacob’s father. The journey was long, for 
the distance from Beer-sheba to Haran is about five hundred 
miles, but at last Jacob came near to Haran. And there, 
outside the city, in a field, was a well, which supplied water 
for the great flocks of sheep and other animals belonging to 
the rich men of the neighborhood. 

Jacob spoke to the shepherds in charge of the flocks gath¬ 
ered around the well to be watered. He asked them whether 
they knew his uncle, Laban, the son of Nahor, and when they 
said that they knew him, Jacob inquired about his health and 
that of his family. 

As they talked there together Rachel, the daughter of 
Laban, came to the well, to water her father’s sheep. She 
was a beautiful girl, and when Jacob saw her he knew at 
once that he loved her, and he wanted to make her his wife. 

159 


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JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


“ Let me roll away the stone from the well for you,” he 
said to her. Then he helped her to water the sheep. He 
told her who he was and she ran quickly to her father to 
tell him that her cousin Jacob had come. 

There was great rejoicing in the home of Laban at Jacob’s 
arrival. Jacob made known to his uncle the fact that he had 
come from his home in order to seek a wife. He asked for 
Rachel. 

But Jacob did not bring presents to Laban, as Abraham’s 
servant had done when he came to seek a wife for Isaac, 
Jacob’s father. You remember how the servant had given 
great gifts ; how Rebekah had returned immediately with him 
to the home of Abraham. Jacob was traveling alone; he 
brought no presents. So, according to the custom of those 
days, he offered to serve Laban for seven years, in order to 
win Rachel. He loved her very dearly, you see. Laban ac¬ 
cepted the offer, and “ Jacob served seven years for Rachel; 
and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he 
had to her.” 

And then at the end of the seven years, Laban showed that 
he wasn’t fair! He told Jacob that his older daughter, Leah, 
was still unmarried. She must be married first, before her 
younger sister! So Jacob married Leah, the older, and then 
he served his uncle another seven years for Rachel, the 
younger sister. 

In those days it was the custom for a man to have several 
wives and, strange as it may seem to us, Jacob was just fol¬ 
lowing the custom of the times in marrying Leah and Rachel. 
But always, as long as he lived, he loved Rachel best. For 
six years more Jacob stayed in Haran. During that time he 
grew .rich in cattle and in sheep. He had eleven sons and 
one daughter. 

And then a quarrel arose between Jacob and his uncle and 
cousins, Laban’s sons. Things were not pleasant in Haran. 

But God was still watching over Jacob. God knew that he 
had been punished for his sin by his twenty years of hard 
work in Haran. He had learned many lessons in that time. 
God spoke to Jacob once more. “ Return unto the land of 
thy fathers, and to thy kindred,” he said; “ and I will be 
with thee.” Once more, you see, God showed that he loved 
Jacob and was watching over him. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


161 


Quickly Jacob called Leah and Rachel. He told them to 
get ready for a journey. He set the women and children of 
his family on camelback. Quietly, without letting Laban 
know about their plans, they started out, and crossed over 
the Euphrates River, going toward the homeland. 

Laban had been away from home, at a sheepshearing. It 
was three days before he knew that Jacob had left Haran. 
When he heard that Jacob had gone, he followed after him. 
Perhaps he would have harmed his son-in-law, but God 
spoke to him in a dream, telling him to take heed of what he 
did to Jacob. So when he caught up to Jacob’s caravan, they 
did not quarrel. They made a covenant and set up a pile of 
stones as a sign. They called the place Mizpah, for Laban 
said there as he parted from Jacob, and his daughters, “ Je¬ 
hovah watch between me and thee, when we are absent one 
from another.” 

So Jacob set out for the homeland, knowing that God’s 
blessing was with him. He must have felt that he had been 
punished for his sin, but that God had forgiven him. 


Handwork 

On the sand table make a pile of stones, such as Jacob and 
Laban made at Mizpah. Letter a card with the words of the 
Mizpah Benediction. Make it as attractive as possible. 


Notebook Work 

Write in your notebook the names of the eleven sons of 
Jacob, born before he left Haran. They are as follows: 


1. Reuben 

2. Simeon 

3. Levi 

4. Judah 


5. Issachar 

6. Zebulun 

7. Dan 

8. Naphtali 


9. Gad 

10. Asher 

11. Joseph 


Benjamin, the twelfth and youngest son, was born later. 
The daughter was named Dinah. 


Expressionae Activity 

Jacob worked hard for many years because he loved 
Rachel. Can you do something hard this week for mother 


162 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


or father or some one else that you love, just because you 
love that person ? Try it. 

Memory Work 

Learn the names of Jacob’s sons. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE MEETING OF JACOB AND ESAU 
Genesis, chapters 32, 33 
The Memory Verse 

“ Behold, how good and how pleasant it is 
For brethren to dwell together in unity! ” 

•—Psalm 133:1. 

The Lesson Story 

Jacob and his family parted from Laban. Slowly they 
moved forward, for besides the women and the children of 
the company there were great flocks of camels and cows and 
goats and other animals. For miles and miles they advanced 
through the country and at last they came to the borders of 
the Promised Land. And here once more God strengthened 
Jacob, for he sent angels to meet him, so that Jacob named 
the place “ Mahanaim,” for, he said, “ This is God’s host.” 

And Jacob needed all the strength that God would give 
him. Esau was near by—Esau, the brother whom he had 
wronged, who had threatened to kill him! Esau was now a 
desert chief, the leader of a great band of four hundred 
men. And when Jacob sent word of his arrival to his 
brother, calling him “ my lord,” as a servant would address 
a master, messages came back with word that Esau was 
coming to meet him with all this great band of fierce 
warriors. 

Jacob was afraid, but he did just the right thing. He 
divided his forces into two companies. He asked for God’s 
help in one of the oldest prayers of the Bible. He sent pres¬ 
ents to Esau, more than five hundred and forty animals. He 
sent an apologetic message. Everything that he could do to 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


163 


make friends with Esau he did. He was trying his best to 
make peace. Genesis 32 :13-21. 

Then quietly that night he sent his companies of men and 
women and animals across the Jabbok, the boundary of the 
Promised Land. He himself remained behind, alone, and 
while he was there, a wonderful thing happened to him. 

All night long, until the breaking of the day a Man 
wrestled with him—a Man whom Jacob knew to be God. 
And in that struggle Jacob conquered completely his old, 
wicked nature. He clung to the Man. He would not let 
him go until he promised to bless him. Then the Man spoke 
unto him, “What is thy name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 
Then God gave to him a new name, to show that he had a 
new nature. “ Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but 
Israel [a prince with God] : for thou hast striven with God 
and with men, and hast prevailed.” 

Then God blessed Jacob and left him. And Jacob after 
that struggle called the place Penuel, for there he had seen 
God face to face. 

When morning came Jacob was sure that God would bless 
him, and God did help him to act in such a way that Esau 
and he became friends. He divided his forces. He put 
Rachel and his little son Joseph in the rear where they would 
be safest, and he himself went to the head of the line, to meet 
his brother, bowing seven times before him as he drew near. 

Esau, instead of being angry, ran to meet him and em¬ 
braced him and they both wept with joy. At first Esau 
refused Jacob’s presents, but Jacob urged him and finally he 
took them. 

And so Jacob entered the Promised Land once more, at 
peace with his brother, rich in flocks and herds, and with a 
great family. He had learned his lesson in the twenty years 
of service in a foreign land. He was fitted now to do 
God’s will. 

Putting the; Le;sson Into the; Lite; ot the; Class 

There were three steps in the way in which Jacob made 
friends with Esau. 

1. He prepared to protect himself. 

2. He prayed to God and asked for his help. 

3. Then he faced the danger bravely. 


164 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


You do not have enemies to meet such as Jacob expected 
Esau to be, but in times of difficulty or trouble you can do 
just those three things. You can do what you can do for 
yourself. You can ask God to do the rest. And God will 
not fail you. 

When you have asked for God’s help, you can go bravely 
to meet any danger or difficulty. 

The: Lesson Truth in Your Lite 

If you ask God for aid, he will help you in every time of 
difficulty and danger. 

Notebook Work 

Joseph, the little son of Jacob and Rachel, was six years 
old at the time of the lesson. Pretend that you were in his 
place and write his story of the journey—how he rode with 
his mother on the back of the camel with its queer gait; how 
he felt when he saw his uncle Esau; how happy he was when 
he saw the meeting between his father and his uncle. 

The Jabbok River, Near Which Jacob Met God 

Face to Face 

In Scribner’s Magazine Dr. Henry van Dyke gives the 
following description of the Jabbok River: Early one morn¬ 
ing we went down and down, by ledge and terrace and grassy 
slopes, into the Vale or Jabbok. It is sixty miles long, be¬ 
ginning on the edge of the mountain of Moab. Here is the 
famous little river, a swift, singing current of gray-blue 
water—Nahe ez-Zerka, “ Blue River,” the Arabs call it— 
dashing and swirling merrily between the thickets of willows 
and tamaracks and oleanders that border it. 

The Shepherdess of the East 

Jacob had learned from the shepherds of the welfare of 
his uncle, Laban. While he talked to them, Rachel, the 
daughter, who had been pointed out to him, came up with 
her father’s sheep. This was no unusual thing in that day 
and country. Much of the drudgery was placed upon the 
women, and is yet in much of the East. Among the Arabs 
and other nomadic nations, the care of the flocks devolves 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


165 


upon the women or the servants. Among some of the tribes 
it is the exclusive business of the young, unmarried women 
to drive the cattle to pasture. “ These young women set 
out before sunrise, three or four together, carrying some 
water or victuals with them, and they do not return until 
late in the evening. Throughout the day they continue ex¬ 
posed to the sun, watching the sheep with great care, for they 
are sure to be severely beaten by their father should any be 
lost. These young women are, in general, civil to persons 
who pass by, and ready enough to share with them their 
victuals and milk. They are fully able to protect their flocks 
against any ordinary depredation or danger, for their way 
of life makes them as hardy and vigorous as men.” 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

HOW JUNIORS MAY SETTLE QUARRELS 

Colossians 3:12-15 

Suggestions tor the Leader's Opening Address 

After twenty years of separation, Jacob and Esau met as 
friends instead of as enemies. Probably Esau would not 
have been so friendly if Jacob had not acted as he did. 
Jacob had learned a great many lessons in his twenty years 
away from home. He had learned to conquer himself. He 
had learned to trust in God. And so, when he met his 
brother, he was willing to do all that he could to make 
friends with his brother. He offered to him a great present. 
He acted in a way that showed he wanted to make friends. 

But Esau, too, had his part in making up the quarrel. He 
was ready to forgive his brother, and to give up the thought 
of killing him. To-day we still need the lessons which Jacob 
and Esau learned. If we have quarreled with anyone, and 
are in the wrong, we must learn to apologize; make amends. 
If anyone has done harm to us, we must be ready to forgive 
and forget if he asks for forgiveness. 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, make us ready to ask for forgive¬ 
ness if we have done wrong, and ready to forgive others who 



166 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


have done wrong to us. Let us remember the words which 
Jesus spoke to Peter about forgiving seventy times seven. 
We ask thee to help us in times of temptation to quarrel. 
Show us how to- act so as to live at peace with others. We 
ask this for Jesus’ sake. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

II Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:32a; Matthew 5:9, 23, 
24 ; Romans 12:9, 10, 14, 17-19; I Corinthians, chapter 13; 
Matthew 18:21, 22. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ As the Sun Doth Daily Rise.” 

“ Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.” 

“ Do No Sinful Action.” 

“ Father, Lead Me Day by Day.” 

“ Guard, My Child, Thy Tongue.” 

“ Hear the Captain Clearly Calling.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Tell of the start of Jacob and his family from Haran. 

2. What plan did Jacob make when he found that Esau 
was not far away ? 

3. Why was he afraid of his brother? 

4. How did Jacob settle the quarrel with his brother: 

5. What is the best way of settling a quarrel to-day? 

6. Have you quarreled with anyone lately ? How did you 
settle this quarrel ? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

(Some of these topics refer back to the Week Day and 
Sunday Sessions.) 

1. The Meeting of Abraham’s Servant and Rebekah, 
Compared with that of Jacob and Rachel. 

2. The Origin of the Mizpah Benediction. 

3. Marriage Customs in Jacob’s Day. 

4. Jesus’ Rules for Settling Quarrels. 

5. How Jacob Settled a Quarrel. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


167 


6. How We Should Settle Quarrels. 

7. Seeing the Other Fellow’s Viewpoint. 

Another Prayer to Say 

“ O Thou who hast thy children taught 
That not by words alone, 

But by the fruit of holy deeds 
Our love to God is shown, 

Upon the daily path of life 
Uphold us as we go, 

That, in cur lives, as with our lips, 

Thy goodness we may show. Amen.” 








STORIES OF JOSEPH 






CHAPTER XVII 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS 
Psalm 105:16-24 
The Memory Verse 

“ Israel also came into Egypt.”—Psalm 105 :23. 

The Lesson Story 

In the lessons which we have studied about the beginnings 
of world history as we are told of it in the Bible, we have 
already learned about one of the greatest countries of the 
ancient world—Chaldea (Assyria), from which Abraham 
set out at God’s command to seek for the Land of Promise. 
Chaldea was in Asia, the continent where, we think, God first 
placed the man whom he had created. But there was an¬ 
other country which was almost, if not quite, as old in its 
civilization as was Chaldea; at least, as far as the old records 
show. That country was Egypt. 

Look at the map in your day-school geography. Look at 
the position of Assyria and of Egypt. In ancient days the 
greatest kings of the world ruled in one of those nations or 
in the other. Always they were fighting with one another. 
Great armies were led from Assyria toward Egypt, and from 
Egypt toward Assyria. As you look at the map, guess what 
the route of these armies would be. Of course you see at 
once that little Palestine was in the way, and so, many times 
it was overrun by the armies of first one king and then an¬ 
other. It was often a battle ground between the two great 
powers. 


The Geography oe Egypt 

You probably have read a great deal in day school about 
the geography of Egypt, and you know something about 

171 

# 


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JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


modern Egypt. The geography of ancient Egypt was much 
the same. On both sides of it were deserts. All the great 
fertility of the country is due to the river Nile—that great 
stream of which even nowadays we know so little. Each 
year it rises and overflows its banks, and the wealth of the 
country depends altogether on the amount which the Nile 
rises each year. If it rises twenty-six feet, for instance, the 
year’s crops are good; if it rises only twenty-one feet, the 
year’s crops are small, and the people correspondingly poor. 
All Egypt would be desert if it were not for the black sedi¬ 
ment which is left when the river subsides. In that soil the 
farmer plants his seed, and quickly a rich crop springs up, 
providing food for all the people. 

THE LAND OF GOSHFN 

Just east of the Nile River is the Land of Goshen, a little 
strip of country about a hundred square miles in area, and 
surrounded on the north and east by deserts. 

GREAT CITIES OF ANCIENT DAYS 

At different times there were various capitals in ancient 
Egypt. One of these was Memphis, a city built in very early 
times in the plain on the western side of the Nile, and about 
ten miles above the apex of the delta. In the neighborhood 
of Memphis, there are about twenty pyramids, and the great 
sphinx. Another capital was Thebes, called “ No,” in the 
Bible, and still another was Tanis, called also “ Zoan.” One 
of the most important priestly cities was On, or Heliopolis, 
where there was a great temple to the sun. There were be¬ 
sides, in the days of Moses, treasure or store cities, of which 
Rameses and Pithom have been found by explorers. Ra¬ 
ineses, now called “ Tell Rotab,” is north of the modern city 
of Cairo, and about ten miles east of this is Pithom, now 
called “ Tell-el-Maskhuta.” These store cities are both men¬ 
tioned in the Bible. 


THE HISTORY OF EGYPT 

The story of Egypt goes so far back that we cannot even 
trace the beginnings. We only know that there were differ¬ 
ent sets of rulers whom we call “ dynasties.” The first king 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


173 


who ruled over all Egypt is supposed to have been a Pha¬ 
raoh, or ruler, named Menes. The first capital of Egypt was 
at Thinis, or This. In the third dynasty, which ended about 
2900 b. c., the capital was moved to Memphis, and it was the 
kings of this time who first built their tombs in pyramidal 
shape. It was in the fourth dynasty, however, that Pharaoh 
Cheops built the Great Pyramid. “ His pyramid stood 480 
feet high, and spread over thirteen acres of ground, being 
755 feet on each side. By walking twice around it, one goes 
somewhat over a mile. It is built of limestone, and contains 
three grave chambers. The uppermost of these chambers is 
near the heart of the mass. It is finished in granite, and con¬ 
tained the sarcophagus covered with heavy granite slabs. 
Around the great pyramid lay three small pyramids for 
members of the royal family.” The sphinx, too, dates from 
this time, and still retains the features of the king whose 
portrait it was. 

In the eleventh dynasty the capital was moved to Thebes, 
where there were many famous temples built, whose ruins 
still exist. 

But at last these Pharaohs were conquered by a people 
called “ the Hyksos,” or shepherd kings. They made them¬ 
selves rulers of the land. They made their capital, probably, 
at Tanis. And it was during the rule of one of these Hyksos 
kings that Joseph, of. whom we are going to study in our 
next lessons, was brought to Egypt. He found there a ruler 
who understood shepherd people, and who was willing to 
give a stranger who deserved it advancement in his kingdom. 

Handwork 

Make on the sand table a pyramid such as the Pyramid of 
Cheops, or Khufu, and a sphinx. Perhaps you can make 
one large and several small pyramids from paper, to set up. 

Notebook Work 

Eind as many pictures of Egypt as you can, and make a 
picture page, or even two pages, in your notebook. Mark 
some of the things that you think Joseph may have seen 
there. 


174 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Map Work 

Draw on the blackboard a map of the part of Egypt which 
is near the delta, or mouths, of the Nile River. Put in the 
cities mentioned in the lesson. 

Modern Egypt 

Instead of Memory Work this week, find out all that you 
can about Egypt of to-day, so that you can tell the class from 
memory some interesting facts about the land. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

JOSEPH SOLD INTO EGYPT 
Genesis, chapter 37 
The Memory Verse 

“ I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: 

From whence shall my help come? 

My help cometh from Jehovah, 

Who made heaven and earth/’ 

—Psalm 121:1, 2. 

The Lesson Story 

At last the family of Jacob was settled in the Promised 
Land, at Hebron, where Abraham had lived. There was 
another little son in the family, Benjamin, but Rachel, the 
mother of Benjamin and Joseph, was dead. Jacob, the 
father, was like his mother Rebekah. He had a favorite 
son, Joseph, the older son of Rachel. He had not learned 
the lesson that he should not treat one of his sons better 
than the others; he gave to Joseph presents which he did 
not give to the older sons—particularly a coat of many colors 
—a long-sleeved garment that showed that Joseph was his 
father’s favorite. 

Of course the older sons did not like this. They were 
angry. They were angry, too, because Joseph had wonderful 
dreams which he told to them. First he dreamed that they 
were all binding sheaves in the field, and that his sheaf rose 
and stood upright. All the other sheaves came round about 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


175 


and bowed low before his sheaf. Then he dreamed that the 
sun and the moon and the eleven stars bowed low before him. 
Even his father was provoked at this and asked him, “ Shall 
I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down 
ourselves to thee to the earth ? ” But Jacob felt that God 
meant something by these dreams which had come to Joseph. 
He remembered them, and often thought about them. 

The days went by. Joseph was seventeen years old, a boy 
who could be depended on, honest and fearless. He loved 
God, too, and he really loved his father and his brothers. 

So one day, when his father summoned him, he came 
quickly. 

“ Your brothers have taken the flocks to Shechem, to find 
pasturage,” he said. “ Go after them and see whether all is 
well with them.” 

Joseph must have known that his brothers hated him. 
Perhaps he did not want to take that long journey of fifty 
miles to Shechem, with the dangers that he must meet on the 
way, and only his unkind brothers at the end. But he obeyed 
his father. He went to Shechem. He did not find his 
brothers there and he was told that they had gone on to 
Dothan. He did not hesitate. He knew that his father 
wanted him to find his brothers. On he went, twelve miles 
farther. 

Perhaps he thought that his brothers would be glad to see 
him, but if he did, he was mistaken. Even as they saw him 
in the distance they showed their hatred. 

“ Behold, this dreamer cometh,” one of them said. “ Come, 
let us kill him, and tell our father that a wild beast has de¬ 
voured him. Then his dreams won’t come true! ” Reuben, 
the oldest brother, was kinder hearted than the others. 

“ Don’t let us kill him,” he advised. “ Let us put him 
down in this pit.” 

Reuben really meant well. He meant to save Joseph later. 

Then they seized Joseph. They took off his coat, which 
had made them so envious. They put him in the pit, which, 
by chance, was dry. Then they sat down to eat, leaving their 
poor younger brother hungry! 

While Reuben, the kind-hearted, was away, a band of 
traders came by, carrying spices from Gilead to Egypt. A 
sudden thought came to Judah. 


176 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


“ I’ve a plan,” he said. “If we kill Joseph, we won’t get 
anything out of it. But if we sell him as a slave, we shall 
make some money. Come on! Let’s do it! It would be a 
sin, anyway, to kill our own brother.” 

The others agreed. Joseph was drawn out of the pit. 
Because he was a good-looking boy, the merchants bought 
him, paying twenty pieces of silver for him. So Jacob’s 
dearest son, who had always known comfort and luxury, 
was carried to Egypt there to become a slave. 

Poor old Jacob at home was left sorrowing, for his ten 
sons came back bringing only Joseph’s coat, which they had 
dipped in the blood of a goat. They told their father that 
they had found it, that Joseph must have been devoured by 
a wild animal. 

But all the while Joseph was in the caravan of the 
merchants, traveling toward Egypt. God had saved his life 
and was going to use him in carrying out his promise to 
Abraham. 

Putting the: Lesson Into the: Lite oe the Class 

Joseph was obedient to his father’s wishes, even when 
obedience was hard. When your mother asks you to do 
something hard, do you say, “ Oh, I can’t ” ? Or do you 
obey willingly and cheerfully? When Joseph reached 
Shechem he did not find his brothers. He had obeyed his 
father’s command. Why didn’t he go home, without seeing 
his brothers? He obeyed the spirit of his father’s wish, as 
well as the exact words. Do you always do that? 

Joseph was thorough; he was reliable and trustworthy; he 
did what he set out to do. You, too, can be and do all of 
those things. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Lite 

Jacob was trustworthy and reliable. Those are traits 
which every boy and girl should have. I will try always to 
be trustworthy and reliable. 

Notebook Work 

Write a story of how Joseph must have felt as he went to 
find his brothers. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


177 


Jack's Obedience: 

“ Jack, I have a note here that I want grandfather to have 
as soon as possible. I think that he is going to be at the 
store this morning, and I want you to take it to him. It is 
very important that he get it as soon as possible. In it is 
the letter that he has been waiting for.” Mother handed 
Jack the thick envelope. “ Be very careful, dear,” she called 
after him, as he went down the stairs. 

“Then may I go to Donald’s to play ball?” Jack asked. 
“ All the boys are going to practice this morning.” 

“ Yes, indeed, dear, go ahead, if grandfather doesn’t want 
you,” mother answered. “ But be sure to be back in good 
time for lunch.” It was Saturday, and she knew how the 
boys liked to play on that day, after the long week in school. 

Jack went whistling down the street. He stopped at the 
store. 

“ Your grandfather isn’t here just now,” said the clerk. 
“ He’s gone to the bank, and he won’t be back for an hour or 
more.” Jack stood still. What should he do? Should he 
leave the note with the clerk, or should he follow his grand¬ 
father? His mother had said that it was important for the 
note to be delivered as soon as possible. And yet—if he 
went to the bank he’d be late for the ball practice. Mother 
hadn’t told him to go anywhere but to the store. But— 

Then he straightened his shoulders. “ Mother wants me 
to deliver the note,” he said to himself. “ That’s what I 
must do first.” 

So he hurried as quickly as he could go over to the bank. 
“ Is my grandfather here ? ” he asked the man at the door. 

“ Your grandfather ? Mr. Johnson ?” said the man. “He 
was here, but he has gone. I think that he said he was going 
to Wilson’s garage.” 

Here was another problem for Jack. But this time he 
did not hesitate even a minute. He went on to Wilson’s 
garage. And there at last he found his grandfather. He 
delivered the note and started off. Though it was probably 
too late for him to get on the team, he could watch the 
game, anyway! 

“ Wait a minute, sonny,” grandfather called after him. 
“ Do you know what this note is about ? ” 

“ No, sir. Mother didn’t tell me,” answered Jack. “ At 


178 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


least—she did say that it was the letter that you had been 
waiting for.’’ 

“ So it is,” said grandfather. “ And it is from your Uncle 
Dick, saying that he will be at home for Sunday as I had 
hoped. Your mother says in her note that if I want you, 
and if you want to go, you can go with me. How about it, 
boy ? ” 

Jack fairly jumped for joy. He had wanted to go to Uncle 
Dick’s farm for months and months and months. And then, 
too, there would be that splendid ride in grandfather’s new 
car ! Wasn’t it just great! 

“ Hurry home now and get ready, sonny. I got this letter 
so early that I think we’ll start just as soon as we can get 
off, instead of waiting until this afternoon, as I told your 
mother I wanted to do. We’ll stop at the hotel at Medford 
for lunch. It’s a good thing that you caught me, Jack. 
We’ll have just that much more fun on our trip!” And 
grandfather laughed understandingly at Jack’s happy face. 
“ Oh, be off with you,” he said jokingly. “ Be sure that 
you don’t keep me waiting! ” 

Jack started home on the run. But as he ran, he thought 
of what might have happened if he had left the note at the 
store. Grandfather might have started to Uncle Dick’s 
without him, and at least he would have missed the ride that 
they were to have this morning! 

“ Well, I’m mighty glad that I tried to do mother’s errand 
before I went off to play,” he said as he rushed into the 
house. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

DOING A HARD TASK 
Romans 12:10-13 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

We learned in our lesson about Joseph, how he obeyed his 
father quickly, though Jacob asked him to do an errand that 
he must have known would be hard and unpleasant. Joseph 
was reliable and trustworthy. He did the hard task well. 
Often we are asked to do something which we do not want 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


179 


to do. Perhaps an errand interferes with our plans, or per¬ 
haps it is something that we do not like to do. God often 
asks his followers, even grown men and women, to do hard 
things. Think of the early Christians who proclaimed Christ 
in the midst of enemies. Think of Peter and John, and of 
Stephen and Paul. Think of the missionaries who go into 
foreign lands, leaving home and friends, often to go among 
savages who may kill them. When we think of these things 
the dangers and unpleasantnesses that we Juniors have to 
face will seem very little. Let us ask God to give us courage 
now, so that when the call for greater courage comes, we 
may be ready. 


The Ceass Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we are only Juniors, but we some¬ 
times have duties to perform that seem hard for us. Give us 
courage to do them in the right way, as Joseph did, so that 
when the call for greater things comes, we may be ready. 
We ask this in the name of Jesus, who, in the days of long 
ago, turned Peter the coward into Peter the bold. Amen. 

Verses eor Use in the Meeting 

Colossians 3 :20; Ephesians 6 :l-3 ; Hebrews 12 :28; Psalm 

100 : 2 . 


Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ Oft in Danger, Oft in Woe.” 

“ True-Hearted, Whole-Hearted.” 

“ We Are Soldiers of Christ.” 

“ O Jesus, I Have Promised.” 

“ The Wise May Bring Their Learning.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. What was the connection between Israel and Egypt in 
the days of Jacob? 

2. What was the first mention of Egypt in the Bible? 

3. How did Joseph show his obedience to his father? 

4. Who were the Ishmaelites? the Midianites? 

5. How can you show obedience to your parents ? 


180 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

6. Did you ever do an errand that took courage? Tell 
about it. 

7. How can a Junior become brave to do the right? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Bible Brothers. (Cain and Abel; Jacob and Esau; 
Joseph and His Brothers; the Prodigal Son and His 
Brother.) 

2. How Juniors of To-Day Can Be Better Brothers and 
Sisters Than These. 

3. Israel and Egypt in Bible Times. 

4. The Family of Jacob. 

5. The Courage of the Boy Joseph. 

6. Joseph the Obedient and Trustworthy. 

7. The Hardest Errand I Ever Did. 

8. Why Missionaries Are Brave in Doing God’s Errands. 

9. How Juniors May Become Obedient and Trustworthy. 

To Read During the Hour 

Peter the coward became Peter the brave. On the night 
of the betrayal he denied Jesus three times, because he was 
afraid of being laughed at. And then, not many weeks later, 
he stood in the Temple and preached about Jesus, although 
he had been forbidden to do this by the rulers. He became 
brave because Jesus gave him courage. 

Women missionaries who go to foreign lands are not dif¬ 
ferent from other women. God gives them courage to go on 
his errands to foreign lands, and to preach the gospel to 
every creature. 

If you are afraid, and yet do your duty', you have true 
courage. It takes more courage to do a little task that you 
dislike to do than to do a greater task that you like to do. 

If you think that a task set before you is hard and un¬ 
pleasant, and are a little bit afraid to tackle it, and yet go at 
it with the spirit of Joseph, bravely and obediently, you will 
probably find that it is not so hard as you expected it to be. 

As you do hard tasks in your life, you are growing more 
and more able to do the hard tasks which will come to you 
when you grow up. Prepare when you are only Juniors, as 
Joseph did, for a position of trust when you become a man 
or a woman. 


CHAPTER XVIII 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE JOURNEY TO EGYPT 
Genesis 39:1-6 
The Memory Verse 

“ He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: 

He that keepeth thee will not slumber.”—Psalm 121:3. 

The Eesson Story 

On and on the caravan moved. Joseph, probably lashed 
to the side of one of the cane wagons in which the traders 
carried their spices and other goods which they were going 
to sell in Egypt, was dragged farther and farther from home. 
On and on they went, turning south to the coast road, “ the 
way of the land of the Philistines.” The road lay among 
vast woods of olive and fir, and past orchards and green 
fields where wheat and barley grew. To the west, in the 
distance, was the Great Sea—the Mediterranean—with its 
waters sparkling in the sunlight and its deep blue contrasting 
with the yellow sand dunes. To the east lay the rough hills 
of Palestine. 

They passed by Gaza, the city of the Philistines, with its 
waving palm trees. Then they struck out into the waterless 
desert. 

The Greek historian, Herodotus, says that the breadth of 
this desert was reckoned as “ a journey of three days.” 
Nowadays the journey can be made by rail in a few hours, 
but for a caravan such as that in which Joseph traveled, 
probably it took six days. For six days the broiling sun 
scorched them by day and the cold desert air chilled them at 
night. They met few travelers to cheer them; but here and 
there they saw the bleached bones of asses and camels which 
had died on the journey, while vultures hovered round, wait¬ 
ing for a new victim. To Joseph it must have seemed a 

181 


182 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


long, long journey, and he must have been glad when they 
caught a glimpse of the top of palms, a green streak which 
showed that their desert wanderings were almost over. 
They reached a causeway extending between marshes, where 



great reeds and bulrushes grew, and water snakes came in 
from the near-by Nile. 

The frontier town to which they came first was Sin, the 
Greek Pelusium. Here they were detained by the officials 











JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


183 


until they were examined. Then they were permitted to go 
on their way to the capital—Tanis, or Zoan. (Mark it on 
your map, on page 182, about halfway between Pithom and 
Damietta. And there Joseph’s journey was ended for a time. 
He was in the capital of the Pharaoh’s, the home of kings. 

The Capital of Egypt in Joseph’s Day 

Tanis, or Zoan, as it is called in the Bible, was about forty 
miles northwest of Sin, the frontier town where Joseph most 
likely entered Egypt. There was probably a great roadway 
connecting the two cities, and running through the marshy 
lake which lay between them. 

Zoan lay on the eastern bank of the Nile River. It was 
surrounded by a great brick wall; it had many temples built 
as were very many of those in Egypt with high, pyramid¬ 
shaped towers and great courts. Through these courts would 
parade great troops of priests, preparing sacrifices, offering 
incense to their gods, singing hymns to the music of the pipes 
and the drums and the cymbals. 

In the streets would be seen the people from all parts of 
the world—brown Egyptians, red Arabs, black men from 
the depths of Africa. Quickly they would turn aside when 
a great noble passed, carried in his chair by his slaves, or 
when a young grandee drove his chariot with its two horses 
through the streets, caring nothing for those whom he might 
run down as he drove by. 

Outside the town was the river, leading down to the Great 
Sea. In the days of Joseph it was covered with boats— 
large vessels rowed by forty or fifty men; merchant ships 
carrying all sorts of goods; gilded arks, containing the 
images of the gods, or lighter skiffs, carrying the people 
upon their daily business. From the river branched out the 
canals, which carried the water needed in irrigation through 
the fertile fields of Zoan. 

Handwork and Map Work 

Make a relief map of the region shown on the map on 
page 182. Make it of paper pulp, according to the following 
directions. 

Take newspaper or any paper that does not have a glazed 


184 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


surface. Tear into small pieces and pour over it boiling 
water. Let it soak for twelve or eighteen hours and work 
with your hands or with a stick into pulp which can be easily 
molded. Then draw off the water through a cloth. Keep 
the pulp rather wet as you mold your map, dampening it if 
necessary. As you mold be sure to pinch the pulp dry 
enough to hold its shape. When it is finished set it aside for 
several hours until it is dry. 

Notebook Work 

Copy in your notebook the map given on page 182, and 
write a little story of Joseph’s journey, pretending that you 
are Joseph. 


Expressionae Activity 

Do you suppose that Joseph acted toward the Ishmaelite 
traders so that he won their favor? Why? Try this week 
to act in such a way that you will win the favor of those 
older and wiser than you are. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

JOSEPH AND THE BUTLER AND THE BAKER 
Genesis 39:20-23; chapter 40 

The Memory Verse 

“ Behold, he that keepeth Israel 
Will neither slumber nor sleep.”—Psalm 121:4. 

The Lesson Story 

There was a great hurry and bustle in the streets of Tanis 
one morning. The slave market was crowded. Hurrying 
back and forth were the Ishmaelite and Midianite slave 
dealers. 

“ Stand up straight, Apepi,” perhaps they would shout, 
with a crack of the whip. “ No good master will buy a 
weakling like vou! Look at Joseph there. How strong 
he is! ” 

The slave buyers for the Egyptian nobles passed through 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


185 


the market, examining the slaves, asking questions and test¬ 
ing their muscles, as if they had been animals. There was 
a sudden stir. 

“ Here comes the overseer of Potiphar, the captain of 
the king’s guard,” the whisper went through the crowd. 
“ He will be fortunate who is bought for the household of 
Potiphar! ” 

Slowly the great man’s servant passed through the market. 
He came to the place where Joseph was standing. When he 
saw the boy erect, clear-eyed, looking at him bravely, he took 
a fancy to him at once. 

“ Send that boy to the house of Potiphar,” he commanded. 
“ He shall be of the household of the captain of the king’s 
guard.” And so Joseph was taken away from his Ishmaelite 
masters. He became a slave of Potiphar. 

Years passed by. Joseph showed the same trustworthi¬ 
ness, the same honesty that he had shown in the home of his 
father Jacob. Always he worshiped God as he had learned 
to do when he was at home. God blessed him in everything 
that he did so that soon Potiphar made him head over all his 
household. 

Then a dreadful thing happened to this young man whose 
life had been so full of ups and downs. 

His master’s wife became angry at him. She went to Ter 
husband, Potiphar, and told him that Joseph was untrue to 
him and was deceiving him. Potiphar believed what she 
said. He had Joseph taken to prison and shut up there! 

But in prison Joseph “made good,’’ too. He was so 
trustworthy and honorable, so pleasant, that he soon won the 
favor of the keeper of the prison. He was put in charge of 
the other prisoners. 

While Joseph was in this position, two of the officers of 
the Pharaoh of Egypt, the chief butler and the chief baker, 
offended the king, and they, too, were in prison. One morn¬ 
ing when he went on his rounds among the prisoners, he 
found these two men looking very sad. 

“ What is the matter ? ” he asked. 

“ We have dreamed a dream,” they said, “ and there is no 
one to tell us what it means.” 

“ Tell your dreams to me,” said Joseph. “ God can help 
me to interpret them for you.” 


186 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


First the chief butler told his dream. He had dreamed of 
a grapevine, with three branches; first it budded; then it 
blossomed; and then it bore ripe grapes. The chief butler 
thought he had pressed out the juice of the grapes into 
Pharaoh’s cup, and given it to the king to drink. 

“ I can tell you what your dream means,” said Joseph. 
“ In three days you shall be set free, and serve Pharaoh as 
you did before you came to prison. Remember me, I pray, 
when you return to court. Speak a good word for me.” 

Then the chief baker told his dream of three baskets of 
white bread and all kinds of baked food for the king. But 
the birds, instead of Pharaoh, were eating his food. 

Joseph told the chief baker, too, the meaning of his dream, 
but it was not so pleasant as that which he had told the chief 
butler. In three days, he said, the chief baker would be 
hanged. 

So it proved. In three days came Pharaoh’s birthday. He 
remembered the chief butler and the chief baker in prison. 
He discovered that the accusation against the chief butler 
had been false and he freed him; but the chief baker had 
really been unfaithful to him, and so he was hanged. 

So God told to Joseph the meaning of the dreams of these 
two men. And through that, Joseph was by and by freed 
from prison and brought to the attention of the king. 

i 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Cgass 

In all our lessons about Joseph we shall find that he was 
helpful. He was helpful to his father. He was helpful to 
Potiphar. He was helpful to the jailer. He was helpful 
to the butler and the baker. And through his helpfulness 
he won great favor and was promoted. 

Are you trying to be helpful every day? Do you help 
your mother? Do you help your teachers? Do you help 
your friends? The best way to be helpful to older people is 
to be obedient and trustworthy, and in these things, too, 
Joseph is an example. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

Joseph was helpful, obedient, trustworthy. I, too, will try 
to be helpful, obedient, trustworthy. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 187 

EXPRESSION AL SESSION 

FAITHFULNESS IN EVERYDAY THINGS 

Matthew 25:14-29 

Suggestions tor the Leader's Opening Address 

This week we have been studying about Joseph, who was 
trustworthy and faithful in little things, and so was given 
always greater and greater responsibilities. He was like the 
man of whom Jesus told in his parable of the Talents, who, 
because he was faithful in few things, was made ruler over 
many things. And that is the way for us Juniors to-day to 
learn. If we are faithful in the little things that we have 
to do every day, we shall be ready for the greater things that 
we have to do when we grow up. Perhaps we think that 
these things we do now are too little to be of any account in 
the world, but if we are faithful now, we shall be ready 
when the great chance comes. We shall find, too, that God 
will help us as he helped Joseph, of whom the Bible says, 
“ Jehovah was with Joseph.” 

The Class Prayer 

t 

Our Father in heaven, we ask thee to be with us as thou 
wast with Joseph. Help us in all our lives of every day. 
Help us to do the little tasks as thou wouldst have us to do, 
and so be ready for whatever may come to us when we have 
grown to be men or women. We ask for Jesus’ sake. Amen. 

Verses tor Use in the Meeting 

Luke 19:12-26; Revelation 2:10; II Timothy 2:2; II 
Kings 12 :15 ; III John 5 ; I Timothy 1:12. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ He Leadeth Me, O Blessed Thought.” 

“ I Pledge My Spirit Loyal.” 

“ Follow Me, the Master Said.” 

“ Teach Me, O God and King.” 

“ The Light of God Is Falling.” 


188 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. How did Joseph show himself faithful? 

2. How did Joseph show himself helpful? 

3. Was Joseph always true to the God of his father, 
Jacob? What makes you think so? 

4. How can a Junior of to-day be like Joseph? 

5. How can a Junior of to-day be like the faithful 
servant in Jesus’ parable? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Strange Gods of Egypt. 

2. Why Joseph Might Have Turned from the Worship 
of the True God. 

3. Faithfulness to God and to Men. 

4. Everyday Faithfulness. 

5. Faithfulness at Home. 

6. Faithfulness at School. 

7. Faithfulness to Our Church. 

8. Faithfulness to Our Country. 

To Read During the Hour 

“ We may have to study what we do not enjoy, or do work 
that is mere drudgery to us. . . . But if we glorify it with 
Joseph’s spirit of cheerful fidelity and serene confidence in 
God,” we shall succeed. 

“ Who sweeps a room as by God’s law 
Makes that and the action fine.” 

“ Far higher than worldly success is heavenly success; and 
.this also depends upon our fidelity. We shall not be true to 
Christ in the large things unless we are true to him in the 
little things; we shall not be faithful where men can see us 
if we are not faithful in the dark and hidden corners of 
our lives.” 

By my tasks of every day, 

By the little words I say, 

By the friendships which I make, 

By the roads my footsteps take, 

My allegiance I proclajm— 

My allegiance to a name— 

Prove my right his cross to wear, 

Cross and name of Christ to bear. 

—George Kungle. 


CHAPTER XIX 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

FROM PRISON TO PALACE 
Genesis 41 :l-43 

The Memory Verse 
“ Jehovah is thy keeper : 

Jehovah is thy shade upon thy right hand.”—Psalm 121 :5. 

The Lesson Story 

Month after month passed, and Joseph was still in prison. 
The chief butler had forgotten all about Joseph, who had 
been his friend. For two years he did not think of him. 

And then something happened. Pharaoh had a dream. 
He thought in his dream that he was standing by the Nile, 
the great river of Egypt. And as he stood there seven fat 
cows came up out of the river, and fed in the reed grass that 
grew along the bank of the Nile. Then seven other cows, 
thin and badly fed, came from the river and ate the fat ani¬ 
mals. Pharaoh woke from his dream very much troubled. 
He did not know what it meant. To make matters still more 
puzzling, he dreamed another dream, much like the first. In 
this dream seven ears of grain, well filled out and good, grew 
on one stalk. Then, after them, sprang up seven poor ears, 
which had been blasted by the east wind. The seven thin 
ears swallowed up the seven good ears. 

Pharaoh felt sure that the dreams meant something, 
though he could not tell what. He called together his wise 
men. He told them his dreams, but they could not help him 
in the interpretation. 

All the people in the palace were troubled, for it was im¬ 
portant to them to make the king happy. Suddenly the chief 
butler remembered Joseph in the prison. He told Pharaoh 
about him and how he had explained the meaning of his 
dream and that of the chief baker. Pharaoh was pleased 

189 


190 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

with the chief butler’s story. He sent for Joseph to come 
to him. 

Quickly Joseph got ready. He dressed in his best. He 
was taken before the king. And there, right away, Joseph 
showed that he still believed in the one true God of his 
father Jacob. He still remembered what he had learned at 
home when he was a boy. (You must remember that Jo¬ 
seph was a man now, probably thirty years old.) He spoke 
out clearly and decidedly. “ I cannot tell what the dream of 
Pharaoh means by my own power,” he said. “ God will give 
Pharaoh the answer.” 

And when Pharaoh had told him the dreams, God did give 
him their meaning through Joseph. 

“ What God is about to do he hath declared unto Pha¬ 
raoh,” he said. 

“ The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good 
ears are seven years: the dream is one. And the seven lean 
and ill-favored kine that came up after them are seven 
years, and also the seven empty ears blasted with the east 
wind ; they shall be seven years of -famine. That is the thing 
which I spake unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do he 
hath showed unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years 
of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: and there 
shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the 
plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the 
famine shall consume the land. . . . Now therefore let Pha¬ 
raoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the 
land of Egypt.” 

So Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams. The king was 
pleased. He was quick to' accept Joseph’s suggestion of ap¬ 
pointing a man in command of the grain supply. But he 
went still further. He did something that Joseph did not 
expect. 

“ Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this,” he said, 
“ there is none so discreet and wise as thou: thou shalt be 
over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my 
people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than 
thou.” 

So Joseph, who had been so short a time before a prisoner, 
became the second ruler of the kingdom. Pharaoh gave to 
him his own signet ring, with which he could seal papers and 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


191 


documents. Instead of his prisoner’s clothes he was given 
clothes of fine linen and a golden chain, and a chariot in 
which to ride. 

As he rode through the streets of the city, the slaves who 
ran before him cried out to the people: “Bow the knee! 
Bow the knee to the ruler.” 

God had brought his servant Joseph from prison to palace, 
and made him a mighty ruler in a strange land. 

Handwork 

The lotus blossom grew in the Nile River, and the people 
of Egypt loved it. They used it in decorating many of their 



buildings. Ask mother for a plain white correspondence 
card. Decorate it with lotus blossoms, and write on it the 
Memory Verse, to make you think of Joseph, and how God 
kept him safe, in a strange land. 

Notebook Work 

Copy in your notebook the drawing given on this page and 
write a short story of what Joseph saw as he was taken 
through the streets of Tanis, from the prison to the palace. 

Expressionae Activity 

Joseph was loyal and faithful and helpful. Try this week 
to be loyal and faithful and helpful in everything you do. 







192 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Memory Work 

Learn the words of the following hymn: 

“ Father of Love, our Guide and Friend, 

Oh, lead us gently on, 

Until life’s trial time shall end, 

And heavenly peace be won. 

“We know not what the path may be 
As yet by us untrod; 

But we can trust our all to thee, 

Our Father and our God.” 


SUNDAY SESSION 

JOSEPH THE RULER OF EGYPT 
Genesis 41:44-57 

The Memory Verse 

“ The sun shall not smite thee by day, 

Nor the moon by night.”—Psalm 121:6 

The Lesson Story 

“ Bow the knee ! Bow the knee! Bow the knee! ” 

So called the slaves who ran before the chariot of Joseph, 
the second ruler of Egypt. 

Those were busy days for the man who had been so short 
a time before a slave and a prisoner. He was thirty years 
old now. He had married an Egyptian maiden, Asenath, 
the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, and they had 
two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Joseph himself was 
called Zaphenath-paneah, a name which perhaps means, 
“ God speaks; he lives.” 

The seven years of plenty had come, as Joseph had fore¬ 
seen. The Nile rose high during those years; the crops were 
good. “ In the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth 
by handfuls.” And Joseph gathered it in; he brought it from 
all parts of the country. Down to Memphis he rode, past 
the Pyramids and the great Sphinx; and to Thebes, with its 
great pillared temples. Everywhere he obtained grain. He 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


193 


put it in great brick storehouses. He piled it up until it was 
as the sands of the sea. And then, suddenly, a year came 
when the Nile did not rise high; the crops, in consequence, 
were not good. That year the people did not suffer much. 
There was grain left over from the years of plenty. But 
there was a second year of drought—and a third—and a 
fourth—and a fifth—and a sixth—and a seventh. It was 
just as Joseph had said when he explained Pharaoh’s dream. 
The people were in great distress. They cried out to Pha¬ 
raoh in their trouble. 

“ Go to Joseph, the second ruler of the land,” he said to 
them. “ He will help you.” And so the people of Egypt 
went to Joseph. Pie opened up the great storehouses and 
sold the grain to the people. There was plenty for the people 
of Egypt to eat, though there was famine everywhere else. 
God had given his blessing to Joseph the faithful and trust¬ 
worthy, and all the land shared in that blessing. There was 
food enough for themselves, and to spare. “ All countries 
came to B'gypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine 
was sore in all the earth.” 

Putting the; Lesson Into the Life oe the Cgass 

Joseph the faithful in little things had been given authority 
in great things, as Jesus, in his parable spoken hundreds of 
years later, said the man who was faithful in little things 
would be. Though Joseph lived seventeen hundred years 
before Jesus lived, and we live more than nineteen hundred 
years afterwards, the rule holds good now as then. While 
you are a Junior, learn to be faithful in your Junior tasks, 
and you will be prepared for greater work by and by. 

Joseph planned and worked for the future. If he had let 
six years go by before he started to get ready for the seven 
years of famine, he would have had small provision made. 
Do you get ready in good time for those things that you 
know are coming ! Do you learn your lessons every day, for 
instance, or do you learn just before your examinations? 

Though Joseph lived in a foreign country and married a 
wife who was the daughter of a heathen priest, he was 
always true to God and the religion of his father, Jacob. 
We, too, should always be true to our religion and try to 
show others that we are followers of Jesus. 


194 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Map Work 

Joseph’s wife was the daughter of Potiphera, a priest of 
the sun god, Re, at On, or Heliopolis. Find On, on the map, 
and then read this strange bit about it: 

At On there had been for centuries a famous temple of the 
sun god, Re, and the city is better known in history by its 
Greek name “ Heliopolis,” The City of the Sun. Its ruins 
stand on the edge of the fertile country, west of the old 
capital, Memphis. Here were huge inscribed obelisks set up 
to symbolize the rays of the sun. They are older than the 
time of Joseph. 

These great obelisks have had a curious history. More 
than a thousand years after Joseph’s time, when the Romans 
ruled Egypt, Heliopolis fell into decay, and four of these 
obelisks were taken, with great labor, to adorn the city of 
Alexandria, on the coast of Egypt. Cleopatra’s needles, they 
came to be called. Later one was taken to Constantinople, 
one to Rome, one, in 1877, to London, and at last, by the gift 
of the Egyptian government, one in 1881 to New York, 
where it stands in Central Park, near the Metropolitan 
Museum. One of the great obelisks still stands in the ruins 
of Heliopolis, as it did when Joseph, according to the story, 
married the daughter of a priest of Re at the old shrine. 
(“The Heroes of Early Israel,” by Wood.) 

The: Lesson Truth in Your Life 

Joseph was faithful to his father; to his master, Potiphar; 
to his master, the prison keeper; to his master Pharaoh; to 
the country of his adoption. And God used him to do good 
to all these people. I will try, too, to be faithful to all those 
with whom I come in contact, so that God may see fit to use 
me for good. 


Famine Inscriptions 

For many centuries people did not know except from the 
Bible that there had ever been a famine in Egypt that lasted 
seven years. But in 1891 the story of such a famine was 
found cut on a rock in the Nile River. It is written in the 
queer picture writing (hieroglyphics) which the Egyptians 
used. It tells how King Zoser, who ruled in Egypt about 



INTERIOR OF AN EGYPTIAN TEMPLE 















































JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


195 


2980 b. c., appealed to his gods to- save him from a famine. 
Here is what the inscription says. Where there are question 
marks the men who have tried to translate the words on the 
stone have not been sure of what the queer signs mean. 

“ I am very anxious on account of those who are in the 
palace. My heart is in great anxiety on account of mis¬ 
fortune, for in my time the Nile has not overflowed for a 
period of seven years. There is scarcely any produce of the 
field; herbage fails; eatables are wanting. Every man robs 
his neighbor. Men move( ?) with nowhere to go. The chil¬ 
dren cry, the young people creep along( ?). The aged heart 
is bowed down; their limbs are crippled; they sit( ?) on the 
earth. Their arms are . . . The people of the court are at 
their wits’ end. The storehouses ( ?) were built, but . . . 
and all that was in them has been consumed.” 

Inscription op Baba op El-Kab 

Another inscription tells of a man who lived in 1500 b. c. 
The last words of the story remind us of the way in which 
Joseph acted. The “ ephah ” and the “ hin ” are measures 
or quantity, like our quart and pint. “ Durra ” is a kind of 
grain. 

The chief at the table of the sovereign, Baba, the risen 
again, speaks thus : I loved my father; I honored my mother ; 
my brothers and sisters loved me. I went out of the door of 
my house with a benevolent heart; I stood there with re¬ 
freshing hand; splendid were my preparations of what I 
collected for the festal day. Mild was (my) heart, free 
from violent anger. The gods bestowed upon me abundant 
prosperity upon earth. The city wished me health and a life 
of full enjoyment. I punished the evildoers. The children 
who stood before me in the town during the days which I 
fulfilled were—great and small—60; just as many beds were 
provided for them, just as many chairs (?), just as many 
tables ( ?). They all consumed 120 ephahs of durra, the milk 
of 3 cows, 52 goats, and 9 she-asses, a hin of balsam, and 2 
jars of oil. ... I call the god Mut to witness that what I 
say is true. I had all this prepared in my house; in addition 
I put cream in the store-chamber and beer in the cellar in a 
more than sufficient number of hin-measures. 

I collected corn as a friend of the harvest-god. I was 



196 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


watchful in time of sowing. And when a famine arose, last¬ 
ing many years, I distributed corn to the city each year of 
famine.—“ Archaeology and the Bible.” By George A. 
Barton. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

MAKING READY FOR OPPORTUNITY 

James 1 :25 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

Joseph won his way to promotion in the first place because 
God was with him, “ That which he did, Jehovah made it to 
prosper.” But God would not have blessed Joseph as he did 
if Joseph himself had not tried in every way to do what was 
right. He was always loyal and faithful to those to whom 
he owed loyalty and fidelity. He was always ready when 
the opportunity came. And the way that he made ready for 
opportunity is a way in which we, too, can make ready. He 
always did just as well as he could the duty that lay before 
him. When he was in the household of Potiphar and when 
he was in prison he did well the tasks which were assigned 
to him. So, when the opportunity came to appear in the 
court of Pharaoh he was ready. We Juniors should do our 
very best work in home and in school now, so that we may 
be ready to make the most of our opportunities when they 
come to us. 


The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, help us while we are Juniors to 
make ready for the opportunities that will come to us when 
we are older. Help us to do the things we should and bless 
us and those with whom we are connected as you blessed 
Joseph and those with whom he was connected, so many 
years ago. For Jesus’ sake. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

James 1:17; Titus 3:1b; I Corinthians 3 :7; Psalm 21:5; 
67:6, 7. 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


197 


Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ O Thou Whose Feet Have Climbed Life’s Hill.” 

“ Father, Who on Man Doth Shower.” 

“ Wait Upon the Lord.” 

“ Father, Lead Us Day by Day.” 

“If We Wish for Joy in This Troubled World.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. What probably was the capital of Egypt when Joseph 
was its second ruler? 

2. Tell what you know about the shepherd kings. 

3. How did Joseph prepare to make the most of 
opportunity ? 

4. Tell about two ways in which a Junior can prepare to 
make the most of opportunities (James 1 :22a). 

5. Did Joseph use these two ways of making the most of 
his opportunities? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Bible Dreams. 

2. Egypt in Joseph’s Day. 

3. How Jacob Learned God’s Lessons. 

4. How Joseph Learned God’s Lessons. 

5. Learning to Do by Doing. 

6. The Junior Motto. James 1:22a. 

To Read in the Meeting 

When George Washington was a young officer in the 
Indian Wars, he did not know that he was preparing to be 
general of the American forces in the Revolution and first 
President of the United States. He did his very best in each 
task that was given him, and so was ready for the big op¬ 
portunity that came to him. 

Abraham Lincoln, studying by the firelight in his home in 
Illinois, was doing every task before him to the very best of 
his ability. He was ready for every chance that came, and 
so he became President. 

Have faith in God, and do your very best in everything, 
and God will bless you. 


198 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


First be sure you’re right, boys, 

Then with courage strong, 

Strap your pack upon your back, 

And try, try along. 

—James Whitcomb Riley. 

Be brave, be steadfast, and be true; 

And e\er, as you climb, 

Keep God’s clear beacon light in view, 

And win, in his good time. 

—Eben E. Rexeord. 


CHAPTER XX 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

JOSEPH’S BROTHERS VISIT EGYPT 
Genesis, chapter 42 

The Memory Verse 

“ Jehovah will keep thee from all evil; 

He will keep thy soul.”—Psalm 121:7. 

The Lesson Story 

The great famine of which God had warned Pharaoh, and 
for which Joseph had provided, had extended even into the 
land of Canaan. Jacob and his eleven sons felt it. They 
needed food for themselves and their families. 

“ I hear that there is grain in Egypt,” said Jacob to his 
sons one day. “ I think that it will be best for you to go 
down to the land of the Nile, to buy food for us all. I shall 
keep Benjamin at home with me, but I want the rest of you 
to go.” 

The ten brothers looked at one another. The word 
“ Egypt ” always made them feel uncomfortable. Their con¬ 
sciences still pricked when they remembered their brother 
Joseph, though more than twenty years had passed since 
they sold him into slavery. But they saw that to obey their 
father’s words was the only thing to do. They got together 
all the money they could collect, and started on the way to 
Egypt—probably along the coast road over which the Mid- 
ianites had carried Joseph so many years before. 

On and on they went. At last they came to the frontier. 
The customs official stopped them and inquired their busi¬ 
ness, and when he found out what it was, sent them on to 
the man in charge of the food supplies. And that man was 
Joseph, the brother whom they had hated and sold to be a 
slave! 

But the brothers did not know that the great Zaphenath- 


199 


200 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


paneah was Joseph. They did not expect to find him in a 
palace, in a position of great honor. If they had thought it 
was Joseph whom they were to meet, they would have turned 
and run away. 

As they came near the great man they bowed down to 
the ground before him, doing obeisance, with their faces 
to the earth. Joseph stood before them. He had changed in 
the years that had passed. He was dressed in rich Egyptian 
garments. He wore the strange headdress which Egyptian 
nobles wore. This man, about forty years old, was very 
different from the lad of seventeen. The ten brothers did 
not know him. But he knew them. They had not changed 
so much. They were in the same kind of shepherd garments. 
There were—how many were there? Ten. Joseph won¬ 
dered about Benjamin. Had they treated his younger 
brother as they had treated him ? Were they any better men 
than they had been? Quickly he made up his mind. They 
did not know him. He would not tell them who he was until 
he tested them. He thought of the dreams that he had 
dreamed so many years before, when he had thought that 
the sheaves of wheat had bowed before him. Genesis 37:5-8. 

“Where do you come from?” he asked his brothers 
roughly. 

“ From the land of Canaan, to buy food,” they answered. 

“ You are not telling the truth,” said Joseph. “ You are 
spies, who have come to find where the land of Eevpt is 
weak.” 

“ No, no, my lord,” they replied. “ We are all the sons of 
one man. If we had come to spy out the land, we should 
not all have come.” 

“ You are spies,” Joseph still insisted. 

Then the brothers told Joseph what he really wanted to 
know, about Jacob and Benjamin. 

“ We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one 
man in the land of Canaan,” they said; “and, behold, the 
youngest is thisi day with our father, and one is not.” 

Joseph must have been glad to hear this news. His heart 
must have leaped for joy. But still he pretended not to 
believe them. He put them in prison for three days. 

Then he sent for them and gave them a command. 

“ If you are true men,” he said, “ I will let you go and 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


201 


carry grain to your father. But one of you must remain 
here in prison. And if you bring back your youngest brother 
later, to show that your words are true, the man I have kept 
shall be freed.” 

The brothers looked at one another. They spoke in their 
own language, not knowing that Joseph could understand 
them. 

“ We were guilty about our brother Joseph,” they said. 
“ Now we are being punished.” 

“ Didn’t I warn you ? ” asked Reuben. “ I told you that 
we would have to pay for our sin.” 

They did not know that Joseph understood what they 
were saying. But he did, and he had to turn away from 
them, to hide his tears. Nevertheless he took Simeon from 
their number and bound him before them. He ordered his 
men to fill their sacks with grain. Secretly he commanded 
that each man’s money be put in his sack. Then he com¬ 
manded them to go. 

Sadly the brothers started out—nine of them, now. What 
should they tell their father? What was the meaning of the 
strange treatment that they had received at the hands of the 
great Egyptian ruler? 

On and on they plodded, over the desert way. One night, 
as one of them opened his sack to give his ass food, he found 
the money in the sack. More and more strange! What 
could be the meaning of all this? 

Soberly they returned home. They told Jacob all that 
had happened to them. 

“ And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, 
behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack: and 
when they and their father saw their bundles of money, 
they were afraid. And Jacob their father said unto them, 
Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and 
Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these 
things are against me.” 

Jacob would not be comforted. He did not yet know 
what God was planning for his people. 

Handwork 

Make a poster which shows that you know something 
about Egypt. Perhaps you can use as your guide the picture 


202 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


given on this page. Use deep blue paper for the sky, and 
yellow-gray paper for the sandy soil. At the very bottom 



paste a yellow strip to represent the Nile River. Cut out 
palm trees, pyramids, and houses from black paper, and 
paste on the background. 

Notebook Work 

The Egyptians used a queer sort of picture writing called 
“ hieroglyphics.” You will find an example of this on this 



page. Copy one of these tablets in your notebook as a deco¬ 
ration, and write a description of how you think Joseph 
looked when his brothers came before him. 


Map Work 

Trace again on the map the journey of the ten brothers 
from Canaan to Egypt. 


Expressionae Activity 

If you think that anyone does not like you or has done 
































JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


203 


something unkind to you, try this week to return good for 
evil, and to do something kind for him. 

Memory Work 

Learn these words of the old apostle John, the follower 
of Jesus: 

“ Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, 
neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the mes¬ 
sage which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love 
one another/’—I John 3:10, 11. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

JOSEPH FORGIVES HIS BROTHERS 
Genesis 45 :l-24 
The Memory Verse 

“ Jehovah will keep thy going out and thy coming in 
From this time forth and for evermore.” 

—Psalm 121:8. 


The Lesson Story 

Day after day went by. In Egypt there was still a famine, 
and in Canaan, too. In Jacob’s home in Hebron, the grain 
which his sons had brought from Egypt was used. They 
would die of starvation if they did not go back to the land 
where there was plenty of food stored up. 

“ Go down to Egypt again, and buy food,” Jacob begged. 

“ We cannot go without Benjamin,” they answered. “ The 
man there told us that he would not see us again unless we 
brought our youngest brother.” 

“ Why did* you tell him that you had a brother? ” asked 
Jacob. He was afraid that Benjamin would be taken away 
from him as Joseph had been taken, and as Simeon had been. 
Finally, however, he agreed to let Benjamin go with his 
brothers. Loaded with gifts and double money, they re¬ 
turned again over the long desert road to Egypt. Again 
they came to the frontier city and again they were sent be¬ 
fore the great ruler, Zaphenath-paneah. 



204 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


When Joseph saw his brothers before him, with Benjamin 
with them, he was glad. Quickly he ordered a feast pre¬ 
pared. He gave a command that his brothers be brought to 
his own house. He listened to their story and freed Simeon. 
He gave them a great feast, but even though he could hardly 
keep from tears, he did not yet make himself known to them. 
He was not yet sure that they were different men from those 
they had been when they sold him into slavery. He must be 
sure how they felt toward Benjamin. 

So, when he sent them away, he had his own silver cup 
hidden in Benjamin’s bag, together with his money. Then, 
as soon as they were gone, Joseph sent his steward after 
them and accused them of stealing the cup. 

Of course the brothers declared that they were innocent. 
They really knew nothing about the cup. 

“ We are honest men,” they said. “ We brought back the 
money for the grain that we had before, that we found in 
our sacks when we got home. If you find the cup in the 
possession of any of us, let him die.” 

Quickly they opened the grain sacks. There, in Benja¬ 
min’s bag, was the cup! What should they do? 

They returned to Joseph’s palace and fell on their faces 
before him. Judah made a plea for Benjamin. He offered 
to take the youngest brother’s place. The sons of Jacob 
showed that they really had changed in the years that had 
passed. 

Joseph could no longer hide who he was. He sent his at¬ 
tendants from the room and then he turned to his brothers, 
weeping. 

“ I am Joseph,” he said simply. “ Doth my father yet 
live ? ” 

At first the brothers were frightened. They knew how 
greatly they had wronged Joseph. They could hardly believe 
that he would forgive them. 

But Joseph spoke so kindly to them that at last they be¬ 
lieved in his forgiveness. 

“ God saved me,” he said. “ God sent me before you to 
save you alive. And now get ready to go back to Canaan. 
Go to our father and tell him that I am alive and ruler in 
Egypt. There are yet five more years of famine to come. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 205 

Bring our father thither, and come yourselves with vour 
families.” 

The news about Joseph’s brothers spread to the palace. It 
came to the ears of Pharaoh himself, and he was glad be¬ 
cause Joseph was glad. He, too, urged that Jacob and his 
family should come to Egypt. He sent wagons by which 
they could come back. 

And so it happened that Jacob’s eleven sons returned to 
Canaan, loaded with food and money and gifts of all sorts. 
For Jacob himself there were ten asses loaded with the good 
things of Egypt and ten loaded with grain and provisions. 

Surely God was bringing a blessing upon his chosen family 
and was saving their lives in a strange and wonderful way! 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Crass 

Joseph forgave his brothers for the evil that they had done 
to him. We, too, should forgive those who are unkind to us. 

Joseph knew that God had been his Guide during all his 
adventures. We, too, know that God is our Guide. We 
should trust him, whatever happens, as Joseph did. 

The sons of Jacob had learned a lesson of love in the 
years that had passed since they had sold Joseph and de¬ 
ceived their father. Because they showed that they loved 
their father and their brother Benjamin, they won Joseph’s 
forgiveness. By love, we can conquer all things. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

Joseph, who lived many years before Jesus did, taught also 
the lesson of forgiveness. Let us forgive those who trespass 
against us, so that we may say with all our hearts the words 
of The Lord’s Prayer, “ Forgive us our debts, as we forgive 
our debtors.” 


A Story to Read 

Joseph was glad when he heard that his brothers were 
back again, and that they had brought his own dear brother 
with them. He was so pleased that he resolved to have them 
all to dine with him at his own house. Pulling his black wig 
down over his brow, he ordered them to be brought in; and 
as they came kneeling before him, it was not on old Judah or 


206 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


kind Reuben, but on Benjamin with the ruddy cheeks, that 
he fixed his searching eyes. His brother had grown so much 
that he could hardly recognize the little boy who used to run 
about the camp holding him by his hand as he took him to see 
the little lambs at play, and the small black kids, and the 
doves, and the chickens. 

“ Take these men to my house, for I shall dine with them 
at midday,” was all he said. The brothers were amazed 
when this order was explained. And when the gates of his 
courtyard closed behind them, they believed they were prison¬ 
ers again, and sat down on the stone pavement to sigh and 
mourn. 

At midday there came a loud knocking at the gate, and the 
red-and-green chariot of the great Egyptian drove in, and 
soon they were summoned to stand before him. With their 
simple presents in their hands, they went through the garden 
and into his beautiful house and kneeling, laid them at his 
feet. 

“ Is your father well ? ” the great man asked in a kind 
voice. “ The old man of whom you spoke—is he still alive ? ” 

“ Thy servant our father is alive and in good health,” they 
answered humbly. 

“ Is this your younger brother, of whom you spoke? ” he 
asked, speaking as if he did not know one from another. 
Beniamin answered with a low bow, and Joseph added, 
“ May God be gracious to thee, my son! ” When Benjamin 
looked up at him, Joseph felt the tears coming into his eyes, 
and rising suddenly from his chair, to the surprise of the 
men he hurriedly left the hall. They did not know why. 
But if they had seen him in his own room weeping like a 
child for very joy, they would have been more astonished 
still. 

The dinner came, and the ten brothers were surprised 
when the Egyptian ruler arranged them at a table all in the 
order of their ages; and yet they did not suspect who he 
was. Joseph sat at a table by himself, with a beautiful silver 
wine cup before him, and he sent plates of choice food to 
each of his brothers, sending Benjamin five times as much 
as any of the rest. Still they suspected nothing. The slaves 
put wreaths of blue convolvulus and red poppies round their 
necks, and kept their plates well supplied with roast fowl, 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


207 


fried fish, and venison, pastry, fruits, and sweetmeats, and 
their cups filled with red and white wine, so that they en¬ 
joyed themselves very much.—(Robert Bird, in One Hun¬ 
dred Bible Stories for Children.) 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIE 
II Kings 6:18-23 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

Joseph’s brothers had tried to do him harm, although, 
because God intended this for good, their wicked act did not 
result as they expected it to do. But Joseph did not take 
vengeance upon them. He had no feeling of revenge in his 
heart. He returned good for evil. 

Hundreds of years after the time of Joseph, an enemy was 
attacking the people of Israel. Elisha, God’s prophet, 
warned the king of Israel again and again of what the 
soldiers of the enemy were going to do. At last God struck 
them for a time with blindness and while they could not see, 
Elisha led them straight into Samaria, the city of the Israel¬ 
ites. But the people of Israel did not harm the enemy sol¬ 
diers. Instead, they were feasted with good things and sent 
home in safety. And after that, for many years, there was 
peace in Israel. The people of God had won it not by fight¬ 
ing, but by returning good for evil. 

And many years later yet, Jesus taught the same lesson of 
returning good for evil, of turning the other cheek. Even 
on the cross, he said about those who killed him, “ Father, 
forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Let us ask 
God to help us to follow the example of those who have 
returned good for evil. 

The Ceass Prayer 

Our Father who art in heaven, help us to forgive and for¬ 
get the unkind things that we think have been done to us. 
Help us to return good for evil as Joseph did and as Elisha 
did and as Jesus did. For Jesus’ sake we ask. Amen. 



208 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Proverbs 20:22; 25:21, 22; 24:29; Romans 12:17, 19-21; 
Luke 6:27-36; Ephesians 4:31, 32. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ Saviour, Give Thy Grace to Me.” 

“ Jesus, Gentle Saviour.” 

“ Jesus, High in Glory.” 

“ Tesus, Friend of Little Children.” 

“ Jesus Will Help Me.” 

“ My vSoul, Be on Thy Guard.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Why did Joseph’s brothers go to Egypt? 

2. Tell the story of what happened on their first visit. 

3. Tell the story of what happened on their second visit. 

4. Why did Joseph test his brothers? 

5. Which of Joseph’s brothers do you like best in this 
part of the story? Is it the same brother as in Chapter 
XVII? 

6. How can a Junior to-day be like Joseph? 

7. Have you ever been unkind to anyone ? How did that 
person treat you ? 

8. How should you treat one who you think has been un¬ 
kind to you ? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Journey of Joseph’s Brothers to Egypt. 

2. Joseph in the Palace. 

3. How the Brothers Treated Joseph. 

4. How the Brothers Treated Benjamin. 

5. Forgiving and Forgetting. 

6. Returning Good for Evil. 

7. Returning Good for Evil To-Day. 

To Read in the Meeting 

Joseph’s true nobleness appears in his love for his broth¬ 
ers who had so wronged him. This is the way he repaid 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


209 


their wickedness. Though he lived long before Christ he 
showed the mind of Christ in all his treatment of his broth¬ 
ers. We should learn the duty of forgiving those who have 
done us injury, and yet of seeking at the same time their 
good. We may also see in Joseph an illustration of the way 
in which Christ does with sinners. On his very cross, he 
prayed for his murderers.—J. R. Miller, 

Think truly, and thy thoughts 
Shall the world’s famine feed; 

Speak truly, and each word of thine 
Shall be a fruitful seed; 

Love truly, and thy life shall be 
A great and noble creed. 

—Horatius Bonar. 

“ He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over 
which he must pass himself.” 

“ Pray for a short memory as to all unkindness.” 




✓ 


CHAPTER XXI 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE FAMILY OF ISRAEL MOVES INTO EGYPT 

Genesis 46:1-7, 28 to 47:12 
The Memory Verse 

“ And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of 

Goshen.”—Genesis 47:27a. 

The Lesson Story 

THE EAMIEY OE JACOB GOING TO EGYPT 
(A Dramatization of the Journey) 

Scene I. In Hebron (Outside Jacob’s tent.) 

Jacob : (Peers down the road anxiously.) My daughter, my 
daughter, come here! Do you see anyone approaching? 

Dinah : No, father, there is no one. They will come after 
while. 

Jacob : It is long since they left us. If any harm has be¬ 
fallen Benjamin, I shall die. One hundred and thirty 
years is long to live, Dinah; I fear I shall not see my 
sons again. (Shakes head sadly.) 

Dinah : But see, father! I think there is a great caravan 
coming. See! There are camels and wagons and asses. 
It cannot be our brothers, but perhaps we shall have 
news of them. Oh, see! There is Benjamin, hastening 
ahead of the rest! They are all here, I know! 

Jacob: Yes, now I see him! Benjamin, my son, my son! 
Simeon, too, is here! and Reuben and Judah and Zebu- 
lun. All—all but Joseph, who is not! (Greetings as 
the sons approach.) 

Benjamin : But, my father, Joseph is alive. He is ruler in 
Egypt. 


210 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


211 


Jacob : It cannot be. 

Simeon : Yes, it is true. See the rich presents he has sent 
you. (Gifts are spread before Jacob—garments, grain, 
and so on.) 

Judah: And because there are yet five years of famine, he 
asks that you come to Egypt, where he may care for you. 

Jacob : It cannot be. 

Gad : Here are the wagons that he sent for you and for our 
wives and children. 

Levi : Here is the food for the journey. 

Jacob: It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go 
and see him before I die. 

Scene II. The Land of Goshen 

Jacob comes in, followed by a caravan. Joseph comes 

from the opposite direction. 

Joseph: My father, my father! You are here safe, from 
your long journey. 

Jacob : Joseph ! It is Joseph, my son ! Now let me die since 
I have seen your face and you are alive! 

Joseph: I will go to Pharaoh and tell him that you.have 
come. 

Jacob: Shall we go before the great ruler? 

Joseph : Yes, you shall go. And when he asks you what 
your occupation is, say that you are keepers of cattle. 
Then will he give you a home in the land of Goshen. 

Scene HI. In Pharaoh's Palace 

Pharaoh is sitting on the throne. Courtiers with him. 

Joseph comes in, with five of his brothers. 

Pharaoh : What wills my lord Zaphenath-paneah ? 

Joseph : Sire, my father and my brethren have come from 
the land of Canaan, with all their flocks and herds, and 
are now in the land of Goshen. Here with me are five 
of my brethren. (Brothers bow low before Pharaoh.) 


212 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Pharaoh : What is your occupation ? 

Judah: Sire, we are keepers of cattle as our fathers were 
before us. There is no food for us or for our flocks in 
Canaan. We pray thee, let us dwell in the land of 
Goshen. 

Pharaoh : Let it be as you have asked. Take charge of my 
cattle, also. 

Joseph : Sire, my father, the old man Jacob, is here. 

Pharaoh : Bring him before me. (Joseph and the broth¬ 
ers bring Jacob into the room. He raises his hands in 
blessing.) 

Jacob: The blessing of God rest upon thee, O king. 

Pharaoh : How many are the days of the years of thy life? 

Jacob: For one hundred and thirty years I have lived, sire, 
and the days have seemed few and short. 

Pharaoh : And yet they have been long. Go with thy sons, 
old man, and live in peace in the land of Goshen. 

Jacob: Again I say to thee, God’s blessing be upon thee. 

(Jacob, Joseph, and the five brothers go out of the room. 

Pharaoh and his Courtiers follow.) 

Handwork 

Preparing the costumes for this dramatization as your 

teacher directs. 


Notebook Work 

Complete any unfinished work in your notebook. 

Expressionab Activity 
Acting out the dramatization above. 

Memory Work 

Learning the parts of the dramatization above. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


213 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE CHILDREN OE ISRAEL IN EGYPT 
Genesis 47:27-31; chapter 50 

The Memory Verse 

“God meant it for good.”—Genesis 50:20. 

The Lesson Story 

Slowly the five remaining years of famine passed. Jacob 
and his sons and daughters, his grandchildren, and his 
servants, all lived in peace and plenty in the land of Goshen. 
They grew rich and prosperous. For seventeen years they 
lived together, but Jacob was an old man—one hundred and 
forty-seven years old. He knew that he had not much longer 
to live, so he called Joseph to him, and made one request. 
He asked that when he died, his body should be taken back 
to the Land of Promise, and buried there. He blessed 
Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. He gave them 
a share of the inheritance equal to that of his own sons. 
Then he called to him all his sons. He spoke his farewell 
words to them, and died. 

Joseph remembered his promise to his father. He told 
Pharaoh what Jacob had wanted him to do, and the king 
granted permission that the Children of Israel should bury 
their father in the land of Canaan. A great company moved 
across the desert way; in honor of the old patriarch—many 
of the important men of Egypt and Jacob’s sons and 
daughters and grandchildren. They buried Jacob in the cave 
of Machpelah where his grandfather Abraham and his 
grandmother Sarah and his father and mother had been 
buried. And there, even to this day, may be seen the tomb 
of Jacob. 

The family returned to Egypt. Then the ten brothers 
were troubled. Now that their father was dead, they feared 
their brother Joseph. They could not believe that his for¬ 
giveness was real; that it came from his heart. They sent to 
him and asked again for forgiveness. 

Joseph was grieved that his brothers were still afraid of 
him. 

“Am I in the place of God?” he asked. “You meant 


214 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


evil, but God meant it for good. Do not be afraid. I will 
take care of you and your families.” 

Joseph was seventeen years old, you remember, when he 
was taken as a slave to Egypt. He was thirty years old when 
he went before Pharaoh. He must have been almost forty 
when his brothers came to Egypt. He lived to be one hun¬ 
dred and ten years old. During all those years he was rich 
and prosperous. He was surrounded by luxury. The 
Egyptians with whom he lived worshiped idols and strange 
gods. But always Joseph was true to the God of Abraham, 
Isaac, and Jacob. He never turned from the right course. 
Always he remembered God’s promise. When the time came 
for him to die he called his brothers and said to them: “ God 
will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land unto 
the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 

. . . Ye shall carry up my bones from hence.” 

So Joseph died, trusting always in God and trying always 
even in a strange land among strange people to do God’s will. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life oe the Class 

Joseph was true to God even in a strange land, where the 
people did not believe as he believed. Are you always “ true 
to your colors,” wherever you are? When you are with boys 
who swear, do you swear, too? When you are with girls 
who gossip, do you gossip, too? 

Joseph believed from his heart that in some way God’s 
promises would be carried out. That is a lesson for Juniors 
of to-day. God has promised us many good things if we 
obey him. We should be sure that his promises will come 
true. “ Trust and obey,” and he will bring his promises to 
pass. 

Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers was real, and from his 
heart. He forgave and forgot. That is how we should act 
toward those who have injured us in any way. We should 
forgive them and put out of mind the injury that they have 
done to us. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Liee 

Joseph’s life is an example to us in many ways: his cour¬ 
age, his faith, his loyalty, his trustworthiness, his generosity. 
We shall try to remember these things and make them parts 
of our own lives. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


215 


The Character of Joseph 

The character of Joseph was a character which would win 
success in all times and in all lands. Its foundation stone 
was faith in God, and on this foundation were laid other 
good qualities that boys and girls of all ages and all times 
can imitate. 

Faith in God was the base stone of his character. On this 
were laid: 

1. Love for his father, shown when he was a boy, and 
when he was a man. 

2. Absolute honesty in every position in which he was 
placed. 

3. Unselfishness. 

4. Humility. He always knew and told others that his 
wisdom and power came from God. 

And on these stones of character were laid others which 
boys and girls of to-day would do well to lay in building up 
their lives. 

1. Resolution. 

2. Enterprise. 

3. Faithfulness in little things. 

4. Patience. 

5. Perseverance. 

6. Evenness of disposition. 

If you lay such a foundation, your life will be a success, 
as Joseph’s was. 

A Blackboard Drawing 




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Enterprise 

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Toen- 

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216 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

WAYS IN WHICH JUNIORS MAY IMITATE 
, JOSEPH 

The Material of Chapters XVII to XXI 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

For five weeks we have been studying stories about 
Joseph, the boy who was sold as a slave, but who rose from 
his condition of slavery to be a ruler in the great kingdom of 
Egypt. Even in a foreign land, where strange gods were 
worshiped, he continued to serve the true God about whom 
he had learned from his father. Because he was true to his 
faith, God helped him and he was victorious in his hard 
struggle. We Juniors can follow his example in many ways 
and try to be like Joseph, whom God blessed because he was 
his true follower. 


The Class Prayer 

O God, help us to do thy will as Joseph did it in the days 
of long ago. Bless us as he was blessed, so that we, too, may 
be a blessing to those with whom we come in contact. In 
Jesus’ name, we ask. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Genesis 39:3, 21; 50:20; Psalm 105:17-22; Acts 7:9-16; 
Hebrews 11 :21, 22; Psalms 1; 37:37. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

Those hymns mentioned in connection with Chapters 
XVII to XXI. 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Where was Joseph born? 

2. Describe a journey that he made when he was a lit¬ 
tle boy. 

3. Describe a journey that he made when he was 
seventeen. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


217 


4. How did Joseph become ruler in Egypt? 

5. Tell the story of Joseph and his brothers. 

6. How can a Junior to-day follow Joseph’s example? 

7. How can you follow his example this week ? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

Tell in what ways a Junior can follow Joseph’s example 
in these positions: 

1. Joseph the Good Son. 

2. Joseph the Good Student. 

3. Joseph the Good Citizen. 

4. Joseph the Good Brother. 

5. Joseph the Good Friend. 

6. Joseph the True Worshiper of the True God. 

To Read in the Meeting 

Many men have risen to positions of prominence because 
they have done the things that Joseph did, because they have 
been good sons and brothers and citizens and students and 
friends; and above all because they have been true wor¬ 
shipers of the true God. 

James A. Garfield, who became President of the United 
States, was born in a log house in Ohio. He wanted to be a 
sailor, but when he had escaped drowning in what seemed a 
miraculous way, he decided that God thought his life worth 
saving, and that he ought to try to make something of it. 
He worked hard to obtain an education; and in this he suc¬ 
ceeded. He became President of the United States. 

Abraham Lincoln, studying by the light of a pine wick in 
a log cabin, determined that with God’s help, he, too, would 
make something of his life. He became President of the 
United States and one of the greatest men that the world 
has ever known. 

Matthias Baldwin, the builder of the first American loco¬ 
motive, struggled for many years before he became the 
founder of the great business which still bears his name, 
where thousands of locomotives are built each year. Mr. 
Baldwin always said that the secret of his success was his 
trust in God. 


218 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


So we shall find that the greatest men of the world have 
followed the example of Joseph. They have trusted God and 
worked hard. Juniors can do these things, too, and so follow 
the example of those who have done worth-while things. 


CHAPTER XXII 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL IN EGYPT 

Exodus 1:1-14, 22 

The) Me)mory Verse) 

“ And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve.” 

—Exodus 1:13. 


The Lesson Story 

Joseph was dead. The Pharaoh that had been his friend 
was conquered by his enemies, and Egypt was under new 
government. 

In all the struggle for the throne, the children of Jacob, 
or of Israel, as they were generally called, had little part. 
They lived quietly as shepherds and herdsmen in the land of 
Goshen, which had been given to them in the days of Joseph. 
There had been seventy of Jacob’s descendants with him 
when the old patriarch first came to Egypt, besides his at¬ 
tendants and servants. Altogether his caravan had consisted 
of about three thousand men and women and children. Dur¬ 
ing the two hundred and sixty years which passed after 
Joseph’s death, in the peace and plenty of Goshen, the num¬ 
ber of the descendants of Jacob had increased greatly. 
There were at this time probably more than a million of 
them living in the very best of the land. The Egyptian 
rulers began to be afraid of them. They knew that the 
Children of Israel were not of the same race as they were. 
They knew that if enemies attacked them from the north¬ 
east, by way of Syria, these enemies would come through the 
land of Goshen, and would probably find friends in the 
Children of Israel, who had originally come from the same 
part of the world. They planned to oppress the Children 
of Israel. 


219 


220 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


The first plan was to make them work harder than they had 
ever worked before. The Pharaoh of this time, Ramses II, 
was building great store cities—Pithom and Rameses. He 
forced the Hebrews to be his slaves, and to work in the 
building of these cities. Instead of the life in the open 
which they had enjoyed as shepherds and herdsmen, they 
were made to work in the clay pits, making bricks, watched 
constantly by an overseer, who marked each pause in the 
work with a crack of the whip, or even a cut on the back or 
the shoulders of the man who was daring to rest. Day after 
day they toiled on. They dug the stiff clay. They mixed 
and kneaded it with their hands and feet. They molded it. 
They made thousands of bricks for the Pharaoh’s store cities, 



for his temples, for the inclosing walls, for his tombs and 
public buildings, and even for private houses. They worked 
from morning until night in the broiling sun of Egypt—and 
still their numbers increased. God had promised Abraham 
that his descendants should be as many as the stars in the 
heavens or as the sands on the seashore. He was keeping 
his promise. 

Then Pharaoh made another plan, still more cruel than 
the first. He would have all the boy babies of the Hebrews 
killed. In that way he would destroy all the people. He 
issued a decree that all the boy babies should be drowned in 
the Nile. Perhaps he pretended that the god of the Nile 
commanded this. He would destroy all the Children of 
Israel in some way, no matter how cruel it was. 











221 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 
Handwork 

From plasticine or clay mold a few bricks. On the sand 
table build a store city such as the Hebrews must have 
helped to build. To find out something about this read the 
short description given on page 222. 

Notebook Work 



Here is the name of the Pharaoh of the Oppression, 
Ramses II, in the writing which the Egyptians used. This 
writing is called “ hieroglyphic,” and is a kind of picture 
writing. 

Map Work 

Find on the map and mark Pithom and Rameses. These 
are two of the store cities which it is thought that the Chil¬ 
dren of Israel helped to build. 

Expressionar Activity 

At this time the Egyptians did not treat kindly the 
strangers in their land. Try this week to do the opposite, 
and to do some act of kindness to a foreign child in your 
school, or with whom you play. 

Memory Work 

The Children of Israel in Egypt worshiped the true God. 
Learn the words of the First Commandment, which God 
gave to them later, through Moses, their leader, of whom we 
are going to study in our next lessons. 

“ Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” 








222 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

The Store City oe Pithom 

About the year 1883, explorers discovered the ruins of an 
ancient Egyptian city, which, they think, was the Pithom of 
the Bible. The buildings were of brick, on some of which 
were found the inscription “ Pi Turn.” The bricks are usu¬ 
ally from 4 to 8 inches square, and 1J4 to 2 inches thick. 
They are unbaked, but very hard. The treasure chambers 
occupy almost all the old city, whose walls are 650 feet 
square, and 22 feet thick. The whole space, so it is said, 
was divided into rooms, each with brick walls eight to ten 
feet thick, but with no doors or windows. What seems espe¬ 
cially strange and a proof that this is the very city in which 
the Children of Israel worked, is the fact that the lower 
parts of these walls are of well-made bricks, with chopped 
straw in them, but that higher up the bricks are not SO' good, 
and the straw is long and scanty, while the bricks at the very 
top have no straw at all, but sedges and rushes and other 
water plants, instead. You will find out more about this in 
Chapter XXIV. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE EARLY LIFE OF MOSES 
Exodus 2:1-10 
The Memory Verse 

“ And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the 
Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and works.” 

—Acts 7:22. 

The Lesson Story 

“ He’s such a pretty baby, mother! Do you think that 
the Egyptians will really want to kill him ? ” 

“ I’m afraid so, dear. Just because he is a godly child, 
they will want even more to destroy him.” And mother 
Jochebed picked up the baby who had begun to whimper, 
and quieted him. 

“ Hush, hush, my child,” she said. “ Keep him quiet, 
Miriam, while I get ready father’s supper. Poor father! 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


223 


He is always so tired after his day’s work in the clay pits! 
And now, since the taskmasters make them get their own 
straw for their bricks, things are so much harder.” 

Mother hurried about her task. Nine-year-old Miriam 
rocked the baby and watched three-year-old Aaron as he 
played about the clay floor of the hut in which the family 
lived. 

Amram, the father, was a descendant of Jacob’s son Levi. 
His wife was Jochebed, and they had three children— 
Miriam, Aaron, and the baby, who was now three months 
old. But on account of the cruel decree of the king that 
all boy babies of the Hebrews should be killed, they could 
not rejoice over the baby. They had to keep him hidden. 
Now he was getting too old to hide much longer. Some¬ 
thing must soon be done. 

Jochebed was wise. She made a plan to save her baby 
boy. One morning she called Miriam to her. 

“ See,” she said. “ I have woven a basket of the river 
reeds. I am going to make it water-tight. Then I will put 
the baby in it, and set it in the river. Perhaps God will 
save him for us. Rock the baby to sleep, now, dear. Then 
we will do as I have said.” 

As soon as the baby was asleep, they put him quietly into 
the basket. They carried it gently down to the river. They 
put it into the water. 

“ Now watch, Miriam, and see what happens to our baby,” 
said Jochebed. Then she went home, praying to God that he 
would take care of her beautiful baby. 

Once more God did show that he was caring for the Chil¬ 
dren of Israel. The daughter of the king, a princess named 
Thermuthis, so an old Greek historian, Josephus, tells us, 
came down to the river to bathe. She saw the basket. She 
sent her maids to find out what it was. And when she saw 
the baby in the basket, her heart was touched. He was so 
pretty and so sweet. She decided to save his life, though 
she knew that he was a Hebrew baby, and that to do so 
would be to disobey her father’s command. 

“ I will call him 4 Moses,’ ” she said, “ because I have 
drawn him out of the water. What shall we do with him ? 
We must get a nurse.” 

Miriam, hidden among the bulrushes and reeds that grew 


224 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


along the river bank, was listening. God must have helped 
her to know that this was the time to act. She stepped out 
from her hiding place and spoke to the princess. 

“ I know where you can find a nurse for the baby,” she 
said. 

Probably the princess saw at once that Miriam knew all 
about the baby, but she did not seem to mind that. 

“ Go get her,” she said. And of course Miriam ran at 
once for her mother. So it came about that the baby, with 
a new name, Moses, was taken back to his own home, where 
he could laugh, and cry, and play and crow now, as much as 
he wanted to, because he was in the care of the princess 
Thermuthis, the daughter of the king. 

Thermuthis did not forget Moses as he grew older. She 
had no children of her own, and she considered him her 
own son. He was taken to the court. He was sent to school 
with the other Egyptian princes. He worked hard to learn 
the queer, hieroglyphic picture writing. He learned quickly, 
and as he grew up, he became skilled in many things besides 
what he learned from his books. Perhaps he was an officer 
in the king’s army. He was rich and a great favorite. Was 
it was possible that he should remain true to the true God, 
or would he turn to the worship of the idols of Egypt? 
That was the great question that he had to decide. 

‘K 

Putting the; Ee;sson Into the; Lite; of the; Class 

God watched over the baby Moses who was to carry on 
his work in the world. He watches over all his children in 
the world, guarding them not only in times of danger, but 
all the time. 

Miriam was quick-witted and obedient. She cared for her 
baby brother as her mother told her to do. You Junior- 
girls, and boys, too, can help in home duties, such as caring 
for the baby as Miriam did. Do you do it willingly and 
gladly ? 

The princess was kind to the little foreign child. Are you 
kind to the foreign children whom you meet at school or in 
your play ? 

The; Lfsson Truth in Your Life 

God takes care of those who cannot take care of them- 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


225 


selves, but he often uses human helpers as he used Miriam 
in saving Moses. Do you do your part as God’s helper? 


The: Life, of a Boy in Egypt 

The old Greek historian Josephus says that the boy Moses 
was a very handsome child. Everyone was struck with as¬ 
tonishment at his appearance. He was very tall for his age, 
full of spirit, and strong. He was,quick and eager to learn. 
Besides all these things he was the adopted son of the prin¬ 
cess Thermuthis. His mother, it is said, was given apart¬ 
ments in the royal palace. They had many attendants and 
he was very well cared for. He was probably brought up 
in the Egyptian fashion, going about, as other Egyptian boys 
did, without clothes and with all his hair shaved off except 
one single lock at the side of his head. He, was often taken 
to ride, both in the royal carriage and in the royal boats on 
the Nile. He was trained in all sorts of exercises such as 
wrestling, ball-playing, and fencing. 

But life was not all play for a boy in Egypt, particularly 
for a boy in one of the royal families. He was trained very 
carefully for his position. When an Egyptian boy of this 
time was only three years old, his education began. Tutors 
taught him to read and to write the queer, hieroglyphic writ¬ 
ing, and there is an old saying of the time that tells us, “ A 
boy’s ears are on his back, and he hearkens when he is 
beaten.” How would you like that? Many model letters of 
these days have been found, and proverbs and other wise say¬ 
ings, written over and over in copy books, and corrected by 
the teacher. 

Besides reading and writing, the boy learned many moral 
sayings. He studied astronomy and mathematics. It seems 
queer to us that the Egyptians, with all their learning, ■ could 
not do fractions in arithmetic. They never learned to do a 
problem in which the fraction had any other numerator than 
one—except just one single fraction — 2 /$. They could add 
+ Yz + + /<3> but they could not add + J4 ! They 

understood algebra and some geometry. They could find the 
area of a circle, but not of a trapezoid. 

When Moses grew older, he was sent to the University of 
Heliopolis, or On, where Joseph’s father-in-law, you remem- 


226 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


ber, had been priest. Here he continued his studies until 
he “ was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and 
he was mighty in his words and works.” So God made him 
ready for his work in the world, giving him training that he 
could not have had as the son of Hebrew slaves in Egypt. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

SOME BIBLE JUNIORS WHOM GOD USED AS 

HIS HELPERS 

I Samuel 3:17, 19; II Kings 5:1-4 

Suggestions lor the Leader's Opening Address 

Often God uses children as his helpers, and we always 
want to be ready when he calls us to do his will. Miriam 
was eight or nine years old when she helped to save her 
baby brother. Samuel was a Junior when God called him in 
the tabernacle and gave him his message. The little Hebrew 
maid in Syria was God’s messenger to Naaman, the Syrian 
general. Juniors to-day, can help in giving God’s message 
to the world. With their offerings they can help the mis¬ 
sionaries who go out into the world to preach the gospel to 
every creature. By their own actions they can show that 
they are followers of Jesus. We can be loving and obedient 
and kind in every way. Let us ask God to help us in doing 
as he wants us to do, and so helping on the work of the 
world. 

The Crass Prayer 

Our Father who art in heaven, help us to be ready to do 
thy errands as Samuel was ready when he said, “ Speak, 
Lord,” or as Miriam was, or the little Hebrew maid in Syria. 
Help us to show by our lives that we love thee, and want to 
help in thy work in the world. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Proverbs 20:11; I Corinthians 3:9; Mark 10:14; John 
6:8-12; II Kings 11:5-7; 12:2; Acts 23:16-21. 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


227 


Hymns that May Be Used in Connection with 

the Meeting 

“ O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee.’’ 

“ Little Children, Love Each Other.” 

“ The Fields Are All White.” 

“ What Art Thou Doing for Jesus? ” 

“ I Pledge My Spirit Loyal.” 

“ I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Name the members of the family of Moses. 

2. In what ways was Moses’ mother God’s helper ? 

3. How did Samuel, when he was only a boy, help in 
God’s work? 

4. Tell about two Junior girls of the Bible who helped. 

5. How can you help in God’s work ? 

6. How can you help to-day in school ? 

7. How can you help to-day at home ? 

Topics for Discussion and Reports 

1. Helping as Miriam Helped. 

2. Going on an Errand as Samuel Did. 

3. Telling Others of the True God as the Little Maid 
Did. 

4. Doing God’s Will Every Day. 

5. God Speaking to a Boy of the Olden Time. 

6. How God Speaks to Boys and Girls of To-Day. 

To Read in the Meeting 

The little Israelite maid in Syria was far from home, but 
she remembered her mother’s teaching. Samuel, too, and 
Miriam were well taught by their mothers. And they re¬ 
membered what they had learned. If Juniors would always 
remember their mothers’ instructions as these Bible Juniors 
did, they would be better off. 

Jesus fed five thousand people with the five loaves and the 
two small fishes which were the lunch of a little boy. That 
little boy was God’s helper. We cannot help as he did, but 


228 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOU LESSONS 


we can listen as he did to God’s Word, and be ready to help 
whene the opportunity comes. 

Jesus told his followers that a cup of cold water given in 
his name was pleasing to him. We can be God’s helpers by 
helping others. “ Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these 
my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me.” 

How To HeXp 

“ To have willing feet, 

A smile that is sweet, 

A kind, pleasant smile for all that you meet, 

That’s what it is to be helpful. 

“ In a mild, gentle way, 

To help through the day, 

To make some one happy in work or in play, 

That’s what it is to be helpful! ” 

“ I cannot do great things for him 
Who did so much for me, 

But I should like to show my love, 

Dear Jesus, unto thee; 

Faithful in very little things, 

O Saviour, may I be! ” 


CHAPTER XXIII 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

MOSES FLEEING FROM EGYPT 
Exodus 2:11-25; Acts 7:17-29 
The; Me;mory Ve;rse; 

“ And God heard their groaning, and God remembered 
his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.” 

•—Exodus 2 :24. 

The; Le;sson Story 

Moses was the adopted son of the royal princess of Egypt, 
but because God had planned it so, he was also a loyal He¬ 
brew. He might have forgotten all about the poor, op¬ 
pressed people of his own race. But he did not. He thought 
about them. As he grew to manhood he investigated the 
way in which they were treated. He became angry, and de¬ 
cided to give up all the luxuries and pleasures of a life in 
the court, and to take the part of his own people. 

Moses was not yet ready, however, to lead the Hebrews 
in the right way. He showed this in almost the first thing 
that he did in trying to help. 

One day he saw ah Egyptian striking a Hebrew. He lost 
his temper. He killed the Egyptian and buried him in the 
sand. Moses thought that no' one knew what he had done, 
but some one did know and it was told among the Hebrews 
themselves, and even to Pharaoh. Worst of all, the He¬ 
brews did not believe that Moses was really their champion, 
and Pharaoh thought that he was a traitor, and tried to kill 
him. On both sides he was unpopular! He had to flee from 
the country. 

Probably he left behind him all his royal robes and be¬ 
longings. Dressed as a Hebrew of the lowest rank, he 
slipped out of the country. He went east, probably along 
the Gulf of Suez. He traveled for several weeks and came 


229 


230 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


at last to the land of Midian, where he was no longer in the 
country ruled by the Egyptians. Midian was the home of a 
rich and powerful people, who lived a shepherd life, wander¬ 
ing as they needed pasturage for their flocks from one part 
of the region to another. 

One day Moses stopped to rest by a well. While he sat 
there, the seven daughters of Reuel, a powerful Midianite 
chief, brought their flocks to water. Other shepherds tried 
to drive them away, but Moses came to their help, and took 
their part. The sheep and cattle were soon watered, and 
when the daughters of Reuel returned, their father was 
surprised. 

“ How is it that you have come back so soon? ” he asked. 

“ An Egyptian helped us,” they told him. 

“ Where is he ? ” the father questioned. “ Why did you 
not bring him with you, in order to give him food ? ” (Even 
to-day these desert chiefs of the East are hospitable to 
strangers, and Reuel who lived more than three thousand 
years ago, showed this same trait of character.) So Moses 
was entertained in Reuel’s encampment. For forty years he 
lived there. He married Reuel’s daughter, Zipporah, and 
they had two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. 

And in all those forty years while Moses was in Midian, 
the Children of Israel, back in Egypt, toiled and struggled 
on. “ God heard their groaning, and . . . remembered his 
covenant.” He was making Moses ready to deliver them 
from oppression. 

Handwork 

On one part of the sand table, make an Egyptian scene, 
with pyramids, palaces, and store cities. On the other part, 
set up a desert encampment. This will help you to remem¬ 
ber that Moses gave up the pleasures and luxuries of life in 
Egypt for the sake of his people, the Children of Israel. 

Notebook Work 

Write as a heading, “ Some of the Things Which the New 
Testament Tells Us About Moses’ Choice.” Then copy the 
words of Stephen, Acts 7:22-25, and of the writer of the 
Epistle to the Hebrews, Hebrews 11:24-27. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


231 


Map Work 

Find the land of Midian on the map, and mark the way 
by which Moses probably reached it. He probably went 
along parallel to the East coast of the Gulf of Suez, though 
he would not touch the shore for a very long distance. He 
probably reached the country of the Midianites near the 
eastern arm of the Red Sea. 

Expressional Activity 

Try this week to help some one who needs your help. 

Be careful not to lose your temper, lest you get into 
trouble as Moses did. 


Memory Work 

In Egypt the Children of Israel were tempted many times 
to worship strange gods. Learn the words which the true 
God spoke to them in the Second Commandment. 

“ Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or 
any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is 
in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 
thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them : for 
I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity 
of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth 
generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto 
thousands of them that love me, and keep my command¬ 
ments. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE BURNING BUSH AT HOREB 
Exodus 3 :1-14 
The Memory Verse 

“Certainly I will be with thee.”—Exodus 3:12a. 

The Lesson Story 

Moses was forty years old when he fled from Egypt to 
the land of Midian. For forty years more he lived in this 



232 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


strange country; he had married; he had two sons; he lived 
the simple life of a shepherd, taking care of the flocks of 
his father-in-law, who was named Reuel, or Jethro. (You 
remember that many men in the Bible had two names. 
Often, when any particular event in their lives occurred they 
were called by a new name, which told something of the 
event. So Abram’s name was changed to “ Abraham,” and 
Jacob was also called “ Israel.” We do not know why 
Reuel was given this second name; Jethro means “his ex¬ 
cellence,’’ and was probably his honorary title.) 

Moses must have felt that his plans for helping the Chil¬ 
dren of Israel had come to nothing. He must have given 
up all hope in those forty years of rescuing them from 
slavery. Then, one day, a wonderful thing happened to him. 

He was out on Mount Horeb, “ the mount of God,” feed¬ 
ing the flocks of Jethro. Suddenly he’saw a strange sight. 
Before him was a thorn bush. As he looked at it, it seemed 
to be on fire—arid yet it was not burning up. He said to 
himself, “ I -will go to see what this strange sight means.” 

The burning thorn bush was truly a wonderful sight, for 
it was a sign to Moses from God. As Moses drew near, God 
himself spoke to him out of the midst of the bush. 

“ Moses, Moses,” he said. 

“ Here am I,” answered Moses. ' 

“ Come no nearer,” God warned him. “ Put off thy shoes 
from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy 
ground. I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, 
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” 

As Moses heard these solemn words, he was frightened. 
He hid his face. 

God spoke again. “ I have seen the sorrows of the Chil¬ 
dren of Israel,” he said. “ I am ready now to deliver them 
and to lead them to a land flowing with milk and honey— 
the land of Canaan. Come now. Thou art to be my mes¬ 
senger. I will send thee to Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring 
forth my people the Children of Israel out of Egypt.” 

Moses felt that he had not been able to help his people 
before. He was modest. 

“ Who am I that I should go before Pharaoh and that I 
should lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt? ” he asked. 

“ Certainly I will be with thee,” God assured him. “ And 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


233 


this - shall be a sign. When you have brought the people 
from Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” 

Once more Moses asked a question. “ When I come unto 
the Children of Israel and give them this message, they will 
ask me, ‘ What is the name of the God who has sent you 
to us ? ’ What shall I say ? ” 

Then God told Moses the name by which the Hebrews 
were to know him forever. 

“ I am that i am,” he said. “ Thus shalt thou say unto 
the Children of Israel, I am hath sent me.” 

Moses’ call to God’s service had come. He was eighty 
years old. For forty years he had been trained in all the 
wisdom of the Egyptians.. For forty years more he had 
been trained in the wilderness. Now he was ready to do 
God’s work. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life: of the Cgass 

Moses spent many years in training for God’s service in 
the wilderness. We, too, must be trained, so that we shall 
be ready for his service. 

God calls his people of to-day to his service just as he 
called Moses. Let us try to> prepare so that we may be 
ready and be able to say, “ Here am I,” when the call comes, 
as did Moses. 

God’s call comes to every boy and girl. “ Follow thou 
me,” he says to each of us. We show that we are following 
him by the lives we. live, by joining Church, by declaring 
publicly that we are his followers. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

God wants me to serve him. I will show by my life and 
actions that I have heard his call and made the choice to 
serve him. 

Map Work 

Copy the outline of the map given on page 256. Mark 
with red ink Mount Horeb, where Moses was when God 
spoke to him at this time. 

A Modern Caee to Service 

It was in the year 1854. England and France were fight¬ 
ing in the Crimean War against Russia. Conditions at the 


234 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


battle front were terrible. The hospitals and the medical 
department of the army were in a disgraceful state, and 
sixty per cent of the wounded were dying from lack of care 
and from filth. 

It was in the year 1854. England and France were fight- 
aid from Florence Nightingale, who later was called by the 
soldiers “ the angel of the lamp.” Within six days she had 
chosen thirty-eight nurses, and was off for the front. In 
about two weeks, she had the hospitals in order. The build¬ 
ings were aired. The beds of the soldiers were spotless. 
The food was appetizing. The number of deaths was re¬ 
duced from sixty per cent to one per cent. 

All this was accomplished by the energy and skill of one 
woman—Florence Nightingale. She was the daughter of a 
wealthy man. Like Moses, she might have chosen a life of 
luxury, but instead she chose a life of service. In her 
biography we are told that she began her work by doing the 
neglected little things. “ She opened windows. She 
scrubbed floors and walls. She laundered shirts. She 
peeled potatoes and boiled soup. She bathed the patients, 
dosed them with medicine while the worn-out surgeons were 
asleep, read to them and wrote letters for them.” She 
would go through the wards at night, lamp in hand, to see 
that they were as comfortable as possible. As she passed 
by, they would kiss her shadow as it crossed their pillows. 

And because of this service, the name of Florence Night¬ 
ingale, “ the angel of the lamp,” is honored and revered 
everywhere. Everywhere she is known for the good that 
she has done, and for the lives that she has saved. Like 
Moses she answered God’s call, and was willing to give up 
the pleasures of luxury, and to live for the good of others. 
She followed the example of Jesus, who “ came not to be 
ministered unto, but to minister.” 

EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

GOD CALLING JUNIORS TO-DAY 
Jeremiah 1 :6-8 

Suggestions eor the Leader’s Opening Address 

God called to Moses from the burning bush to serve him. 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


235 


He called Samuel in the Temple, to serve him. He calls to 
the people of the world to-day to serve him. We Juniors 
who live in a Christian country where we can go to church 
and school; whose parents teach us to love God, and to live 
honorable lives, have many things for which we ought to 
be thankful. We have good training, as Moses had. God 
does not speak to us from a burning bush, as he spoke to 
Moses, but he does speak to us through his Word, the Bible, 
and through our parents and teachers. He calls each one of 
us to his service, to stand up for him and to proclaim that 
he is the King of our lives. If we are still hesitating to 
obey his call, if we have not yet made a decision to be his 
followers, let us make our choice for him soon, while we are 
yet Juniors, and so do his will for us in the best way. 

The Class Prayer 

We pray thee, O Father in heaven, that we may hear thy 
call to us and obey it. We want to decide now, while we are 
Juniors, to follow thee with all our hearts and minds and 
strength. We know that thou sayest to us as thou hast said 
to Moses, “ Certainly I will be with thee.” Help us, we 
pray thee, to be thy true children, and to do those things 
that thou wouldst have us do. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

I Samuel 3:4, 10, 11a; Isaiah 6:8; Ecclesiastes 12:1; 
II Timothy 3:15; I Samuel 12:2; Psalm 71 :5, 17. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ O Jesus, I Have Promised.’’ 

“ Who Is On the Lord’s Side? ” 

“ True-Hearted, Whole-Hearted.” 

“ Up to Thee Sweet Childhood Looketh.” 

“ Jesus Calls Us.” 

“It May Not Be on the Mountain Top.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Why is Mount Horeb called “ the mount of God ”? 

2. How did God speak to Moses ? 


236 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


- 3. How does he speak to us to-day ? 

4. Do you think that Moses was modest when he hesi¬ 
tated to obey God, or was he a coward ? 

5. When you are called upon to do something that is im¬ 
portant, do you make excuses right away, or do you think 
carefully before you answer, and then give your reply ? 

6. Have you decided yet to answer God’s call to service ? 

Topics for Discussion and Reports 

1. Moses in Midian. 

2. The Burning Bush. 

3. How God Spoke to Moses, and How He Speaks 
to Us. 

4. Making Excuses. 

5. How I Can Answer God’s Call to Me. 

6. Why I Should Join the Church. 

To Read in the Meeting 

God calls his children of to-day just as he called his people 
of the days of long ago. He speaks to us through his Word, 
the Bible, through the little voice within that we call “ con¬ 
science,” through the instructions of our parents and teach¬ 
ers. He wants us all to serve him as he has given us talents 
and abilities. 

Sometimes men and women of to-day have difficulty in 
making the choice to serve God. Sometimes boys and girls 
have difficulty, too. But if you make your choice now, you 
will find that you are wiser than if you wait until you are 
older. 


Who is on the Lord’s side? 

Who will serve the King? 

Who will be his helpers, 

Other lives to bring? 

Who will leave the world’s side? 

Who will face the foe? 

Who is on the Lord’s side? 

Who for him will go? 

By thy call of mercy, 

By thy grace divine, 

We are on the Lord’s side, 
Saviour, we are thine. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


237 


Chosen to be soldiers 
In an alien land, 

Chosen, called, and faithful, 

For our Captain’s band; 

In the service royal 
Let us not grow cold; 

Let us be right loyal, 

Noble, true, and bold. 

Master, thou wilt keep us, 

By thy grace divine, 

Always on the Lord’s side, 

Saviour, always thine. 

—Frances R. Havergae. 

“‘Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed; 

I, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid; 

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, 
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. 

“ ‘ When through the deep waters I call thee to go, 

The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow; 

For I will be with thee thy troubles to bless, 

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.’ ” 



CHAPTER XXIV 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

MOSES OBEYS GOD’S CAGE TO SERVICE 
Exodus 2 :23-25 ; 4:27-31; 5:1-9 

The: Memory Verse 

“ Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; 

But he that trusteth in Jehovah, lovingkindness shall 
compass him about.”—Psalm 32:10. 

The Lesson Story 

When God called Moses to his service, Moses felt that he 
was unfit to go. He hesitated to do as God commanded. 
But God was patient. He answered all Moses’ excuses, and 
promised to send him helpers. When Moses said that he 
was not eloquent, for instance, God promised to be with him 
and to teach him what to say. Then he told Moses that 
Aaron was coming to meet him, and that he would be Moses’ 
spokesman. God told Moses to take with him his shep¬ 
herd’s rod, promising that with it, he should do signs. 

At last Moses realized his call to God’s service. He took 
back the sheep and cattle which he had been feeding, to the 
home of his father-in-law. He asked permission to go back 
to Egypt, and Jethro said that he might go. So' Moses 
started out on his long journey to Egypt. 

In the meantime, God had spoken also to Aaron, Moses’ 
older brother. “ Go into the wilderness to meet Moses,” 
God said. Aaron did not hesitate. He started out, and 
there, near the Mount of God, which is also called Mount 
Horeb or Mount Sinai, he met his brother. 

For forty years these two had not seen one another, 
though they loved each other dearly. But now they were 
together again. They were to work together, to face the 
anger of Pharaoh together, to lead the people of Israel out 
of bondage. These two brothers were not like those other 


238 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


239 


brothers of whom we have studied. They were friends; 
they really loved one another. 

Quietly they went back toward Israel. They called to¬ 
gether the people. Aaron told them of God’s message to 
Moses, that they were to be delivered from oppression. The 
people believed, and accepted the two brothers as their lead¬ 
ers, selected for them by God. 

The first step that Moses and Aaron took in carrying out 
God’s plans for freeing the people was to go to Pharaoh. 
Ramses II, the Pharaoh of the Oppression, had died after 
a long reign of sixty-seven years. The new Pharaoh was 
Meneptah II, who has been called the Pharaoh of the 
Exodus. This king had won many victories over his ene¬ 
mies. A hymn which we still have was composed to cele¬ 
brate his victories; in this it is written: 

“ All the world is at peace, 

Everyone that was rebellious is 
Subdued by the king, Meneptah.” 

It was to this Pharaoh that Moses and Aaron carried 
God’s message. At first they asked only for permission to 
go a three days’ journey into the wilderness to hold a feast. 
But even this Pharaoh refused to permit. 

“ You are lazy, you are lazy,” he said. “ You shall work 
harder than ever.” 

Then he called together his officials. He commanded them 
that they should make the Children of Israel work harder 
than ever. The straw which was needed in making the 
bricks should no longer be supplied to them. They would 
have to go into the fields and get it for themselves, and with 
all this extra work they had to make just as many bricks! 
Just one more burden was added to their lives. They had 
to work harder than ever. 

The Children of Israel felt that Moses was to blame for 
what had happened to them. They accused him of bringing 
trouble upon them. Once more Moses went to God, and 
asked him what to do. The task of delivering the people 
was great, but Moses knew where to ask for help. God had 
sent him on his errand. God would help him to carry it 
through. 


240 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Handwork 

Copy on the blackboard the map given on page 256. This 
is the Peninsula of Sinai, the scene of the Israelites’ jour¬ 
ney ings for forty years. Find and mark “ the Mount of 
God,” Mount Horeb. It was near this point that God spoke 
to Moses from the burning bush. It was near here where 
Aaron and Moses met at the time of this lesson. 

Notebook Work 

For your notebook write the story of this lesson, answer¬ 
ing particularly the following questions: 

1. How did Moses’ father-in-law receive his request to 
go to Egypt ? 

2. How did Aaron receive the message of God given 
through Moses? 

3. How did the Children of Israel receive it? 

4. How did Pharaoh Meneptah receive it? 

Expressionae Activity 

You are God’s messenger to-day. Can you do an errand 
for him.—that is, for his sake, this week? If you do an 
errand for some one who is old and helpless, without any 
hope of reward for yourself, you will be doing it for him. 

Memory Work 

Learn the words of the Third Commandment: 

“ Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in 
vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his 
name in vain.” 


SUNDAY SESSION 

MOSES AND AARON BEFORE PHARAOH 
Exodus 9:1-7, 22-27; 10:21-29 
The Memory Verse 

“ And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord 
thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, 
out of the house of bondage.”—Exodus 20:1, 2. 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


241 


The Lesson Story 

Once more Moses listened to God’s word, and once more 
he and Aaron went to the palace where Pharaoh and his 
courtiers were. It was a brave thing to do. Pharaoh might 
have ordered them to be killed at once. But the brothers 
knew that God was with them and that he would watch over 
them as they did his errand. 

“ Thus saith the Lord God of Israel,” said Moses. “ Let 
my people go.” 

“ Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice, and let 
Israel go? ” asked Pharaoh again. “ I know not the Lord, 
neither will I let Israel go.” 

Then Aaron did as the Lord commanded him to do. He 
cast down the rod which he had brought with him, and im¬ 
mediately it became a serpent. 

Pharaoh called his wise men and sorcerers; in some way 
they performed a trick like the miracle which Aaron had 
performed, by God’s favor. Their rods, too, became ser¬ 
pents, though Aaron’s serpent was larger and more power¬ 
ful, and swallowed all the serpents of the sorcerers. 

Once more God spoke to Moses. “ In the morning when 
Pharaoh goes to the river,” he said, “ go to him, taking the 
rod which became a serpent. Ask him once more to let my 
people go. Then when he refuses, strike the water of the 
river with your rod. It shall become blood, and all the fish 
shall die.” 

Again Moses and - Aaron did as God commanded. As 
God had foretold, Pharaoh refused their request. Moses 
struck the waters of the river with his rod and they became 
blood. The fish died. There was no water to drink. And 
it must have been even worse than had the river been just 
an ordinary river. It was the Nile, the sacred river of the 
Egyptians, to which the land owed all its prosperity. And 
still Pharaoh refused to let the people go! 

God sent Moses again to Pharaoh, and there was a second 
plague—the plague of frogs. This time Pharaoh sent for 
Moses and Aaron and begged them to ask their God to take 
away the frogs. If he did so, promised Pharaoh, the people 
should be allowed to go. 

But when Moses prayed to the Lord, and the frogs died, 
Pharaoh forgot his promise. He would not let the people 



242 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


go. Over and over Moses warned of plagues to come—the 
plague of lice and of flies and of disease for cattle and men, 
and of hail, and of locusts. Again and again the plagues 
came as Moses warned; again and again Pharaoh promised 
to let the people go, and then forgot his word. But by God’s 
providence, the Children of Israel suffered from none of 
these things. 

At last God sent a plague without warning Pharaoh of its 
coming! Moses stretched out his hand, and, for three days, 
there was a thick darkness. None of the Egyptians could 
see one another. For three days they could not find their 
way about. But the Children of Israel had light in their 
homes. They could see to find their way about. They could 
do their usual duties. 

This time Pharaoh was really frightened. He called 
Moses and Aaron to him. 

“ Go ye, serve the Lord,” he said. “ Only leave your 
cattle behind.” 

“ We must take our cattle with us,” said Moses. 

Once more Pharaoh refused. He was willing to let the 
people go, but he wanted their possessions. 

“ Get thee from me,” he said. “ Take heed to thyself, see 
my face no more: for when thou seest my face again, thou 
shalt surely die.” 

“ Thou hast spoken well.” said Moses. “ I will see thee 
again no more.” He knew that the end of the struggle was 
coming. Before he left Pharaoh’s presence he warned him 
that this time the first-born of all the Egyptians, from 
Pharaoh himself down to the lowliest servant, would die. 
Even then Pharaoh refused to release the Children of Israel. 

Putting the: Lesson Into the Liee of the Ceass 

God gave courage to Moses and Aaron to go before 
Pharaoh again and again, even when their lives were in 
great danger. He gives courage to modern “ soldiers of the 
cross,” to face danger and difficulty. He will give you cour¬ 
age to do his work. 

Pharaoh was warned again and again, and given many 
chances to do God’s will. God gives to us one chance after 
another to decide for him. Have you decided yet? 

When Moses had decided to follow God’s call, he was 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


243 


brave and resolute in doing his duty. God helps his people 
everywhere to be courageous in following him. 

There is a struggle between good and evil in the world 
to-day, just as there was in the days of Moses. On which 
side of the struggle are you? 

The Lesson Truth in Your Liee 

God gives his true followers courage and bravery to stand 
against the enemies of the right. 

A Story to Read 

“ I am afraid, Thermuthis. I am afraid.” Jannes, the 
sorcerer, shook his head. “ There is something greater than 
our power in this. The wisdom of Moses is greater than 
the wisdom of the Egyptians.” 

“ But father, he is learned in all the wisdom of the Egyp¬ 
tians,” said Thermuthis. “ He has perhaps learned some¬ 
thing that you have forgotten.” 

The old sorcerer of Pharaoh Meneptah shook his head. 
“ The changing of the rod to a serpent I could understand,” 
said he. “ It was only a trick. I understand, too, the turn¬ 
ing of the waters of the Nile to blood, and the plague of the 
frogs, and of the lice. But about the flies and the disease of 
men and cattle and the hail and the locusts I do not under¬ 
stand. Why did they touch the land of Goshen, where the 
Children of Israel are? Why did they touch only us Egyp¬ 
tians ? Can it be, Thermuthis, that the God of Moses is the 
true God ? I wonder ! I wonder ! ” 

The old sorcerer and his daughter were eating their morn¬ 
ing meal. The hot sun of Egypt glowed in the sky. Not a 
cloud was visible. As far as the eye could see the expanse 
of blue sky stretched on and on and on. 

“Do you go to the court to-day, father?” asked Ther¬ 
muthis. “ Has Meneptah summoned you to-day ? ” 

“ There is no telling what Moses may do, daughter. 
Pharaoh wants his wise men always near him. Moses gave 
no warning yesterday, but I am afraid, daughter. I am 
afraid.” 

And even as he spoke, his fears proved well founded. A 
moment before the skies had been as blue as turquoise. And 


244 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


now—there was darkness, darkness as of night! What had 
happened? There came a cry from the inner rooms of the 
dwelling, echoing the words of the sorcerer: “We are afraid! 
We are afraid !” 

Outside there rose a sudden wailing. 

“ The sun! The sun! What has happened to our great 
god Ra ?” 

Hastily the old sorcerer groped his way to the storeroom 
where the lamps were kept. Hastily he lighted the little 
wick. But his servants had fallen to the ground. Dumb 
fear had come upon them in place of the loud cries of terror. 

“ I feared the God of Moses! I feared him! ” murmured 
the old man. “ Now I know he is more powerful than all 
the gods of the Egyptians. He shall be my God hereafter.” 

And swiftly he felt his way from the house, leading his 
daughter by the hand. They groped their way through the 
dark streets, along the way to the home of Moses and Aaron, 
where there was no darkness; over it the bright sun shone in 
the blue Egyptian sky as brilliantly as ever. 

“ I have come, Moses, to acknowledge the power of your 
God,” said the sorcerer. “ He only is the Lord, greater than 
all the gods of Egypt.” 

And SO' it was that Thermuthis, the daughter of the sor¬ 
cerer of Egypt, did not perish, but was saved from the de¬ 
struction of the first-born of the Egyptians when God sent 
his angel with the final punishment of those who refused to 
obey his will. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

COURAGE TO DO GOD’S WILL 
Acts 5:17-31 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

Moses and Aaron, about whom we have been studying 
this week, were courageous in going before Pharaoh and do¬ 
ing God’s will. In New Testament times, Peter and John 
and the other disciples of Jesus were brave, too, in standing 
before the chief priests and the rulers and saying, “ We 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


245 


must obey God rather than men.” Polycarp and Luther and 
John Knox and many other men whose names are remem¬ 
bered in history were brave and courageous in giving God’s 
messages to the rulers of the land in which they lived. God 
always gives courage to those who are ready to carry his 
messages. Let us ask him to help us Juniors to-day to be 
brave for his sake. 


The: Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, help us to be brave as the heroes 
of the past were brave, when they stood before rulers of 
Church and of country, to tell them thy message. We 
Juniors do not have to be brave in this same way, but we 
often have to stand up for what we know is right against 
those who would tempt us to' do' wrong. Lead us not into 
temptation and deliver us from evil. For Jesus’ sake. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Joshua 1 :9 ; Psalm 23 :4; 27:1, 3, 14; I Corinthians 10:31; 
16:13; Ephesians 4:10, 11; I Timothy 6:12. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection with 

the Meeting 

“ The Son of God Goes Forth to War.” 

“ Courage, Brother, Do Not Stumble.” 

“ My Soul, Be On Thy Guard.” 

“ Dare to Be Brave.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. How did God help the Children of Israel when they 
were in slavery in Egypt? 

2. How did God help Moses to be brave? 

3. How did God help Peter and John and the other 
apostles of New Testament times to be brave? 

4. How will he help Juniors to-day to be brave? 

5. What gives to' missionaries of to-day courage to go 
so boldly into foreign lands to teach the heathen? 

6. How can you be brave for Jesus’ sake? 


246 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Topics eor Discussion and Reports 

1. Bible Brothers Who Agreed with Each Other. 

2. Courage to Do* God’s Will. 

3. Missionary Courage. 

4. The Courage of the Apostles. 

5. The Courage of the Founders of Our Church. 

• 

To Read During the Meeting 

God has always given courage and strength to those who 
do' his will. He made the apostles brave, and Polycarp, and 
Luther. He will help his followers to-day, too. 

We do' not have to 1 face death and imprisonment for our 
faith in God as did the heroes of the past, but we may have 
to face discouragement and trouble when we try to do' God’s 
will. We should stand firm for what we believe and God 
will give us strength. 

God wants us to 1 be honest in all the work that we do. 
He wants us to speak the truth. He wants us to confess our 
faults. And he will give us courage to' do> these things if 
we ask him. 

The following story is told of Wendell Phillips’ boyhood: 
One of his mother’s earliest gifts to him was a Bible. . . . 
When he was four or five years old he used to put the family 
Bible in a chair, and preach most earnestly to the surround¬ 
ing furniture. “ When I was a boy of fourteen years of 
age,” he tells us, “ I heard Lyman Beecher preach on the 
theme ‘ You Belong to God.’ I went home after that service, 
threw myself on the floor in my room, with locked doors. I 
prayed: ‘ O God, I belong to thee; take what is thine own. 
I ask this, that whenever a thing be wrong it may have no 
power of temptation over me; whenever a thing be right, it 
may take no courage to' do it.’ From that day to this it has 
been so. Whenever I have known a thing to be wrong, it 
has held no temptation. Whenever I have known a thing to 
be right, it has taken no courage to do it.” 


CHAPTER XXV 

WEEK DAY SESSION 


THE FINAL PUNISHMENT OF THE EGYPTIANS 

Exodus 12 :l-20 

The: Memory Verse 

“ Jehovah is my strength and song, 

And he is become my salvation.”—Exodus 15 :2a. 

The Lesson Story 

You would have thought that the thick darkness which 
came upon the land of Egypt would have shown Pharaoh 
God’s will—but it did not. Once more he refused to let the 
Children of Israel go; and once more God sent Moses and 
Aaron to him with a message. 

This time Moses foretold a terrible trouble. About mid¬ 
night, the angel of the Lord would go through the land of 
Egypt, and all the first-born of people and of beasts should 
die! Just think what that would mean in this land of ours. 
If some one should say that your oldest brother or sister, 
and your father’s oldest brother or sister, and your mother’s 
oldest brother or sister should die in one hour—and if this 
was to happen not only in your family, but in the family of 
everyone in this great country of ours—would you not try 
to prevent it in every way possible? And if death was fore¬ 
told not only for human beings, but for all animals—for 
every living thing—would it not be terrible? 

But Pharaoh did not believe Moses’ words, even though 
the nine other plagues had come as Moses had foretold. He 
refused once more to let the people go. 

God spoke again to Moses. He told him exactly the 
preparations which he was to make for the Children of 
Israel to leave Egypt. First he gave to him directions for 
a feast which the Jews have celebrated ever since to corn- 

247 


248 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

memorate their escape from Egypt—the feast of the 
passover. 

The month in which the Children of Israel escaped from 
Egypt was to be, after this time, the first month of their 
year. On the tenth day of this month, each householder was 
to take a lamb that was a year old and absolutely perfect. 
If the household was small, its members might join with 
another small household. The lamb was to be kept until the 
fourteenth day of the month. In the evening of that day it 
was to be killed; a bunch of hyssop (a sort of herb) was to 
be dipped in the blood, and the lintel and the two side posts 
of the door were to be marked with the blood. Then the 
lamb was to be roasted and eaten, while the people stood 
ready to leave the land where they had been oppressed. The 
Lord promised that the angel of death would pass over the 
houses whose doorposts were marked with blood. He would 
not slay the first-born there, as in the houses of the 
Egyptians. 

Then God added another direction. “ Ever after this,” he 
said, “ this day shall be a memorial to' you. For seven days 
you shall eat no leavened bread; you shall have a holy cele¬ 
bration, because this time is the time of your deliverance 
from Egypt.” 

So God’s word came to the Children of Israel. They were 
to make ready to go> out of Egypt, and to start to the home 
in the land of Canaan, which God had promised to Abraham. 
They were to become a nation. 

The Passover Celebration 

Ever since the time when God gave to Moses the direc¬ 
tions for the passover, the Children of Israel have kept this 
holiday. The month of the passover is the first month of 
the year. It is called “ Abib,” or “ Nisan,” and corresponds 
to the last part of our March and the first part of our 
April. On the fourteenth day of that month, at evening, the 
passover lamb is killed and eaten in each family, as God 
directed. If a family is small, two families join together. 
Ten people are allowed to each lamb. Every bit of leaven, 
that is, yeast, must be taken from the house, and bread made 
without yeast must be eaten. And even to-day Moses’ words 
to the people, found in Exodus 12:26, 27, are carried out: 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


249 


“ And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say 
unto you, What mean ye by this service? that ye shall say, 
It is the sacrifice of Jehovah’s passover, who' passed over 
the houses of the Children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote 
the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.” 

The youngest child who is able to speak, in each Jewish 
household is taught to ask the question, “ What mean ye by 
this service?” Then the answer is given in an account of 
the origin of the feast. And as they eat the unleavened 
bread they never fail to say: “ This is the bread of affliction 
which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are 
hungry come and eat; let all who require come in and cele¬ 
brate the passover. This year here, next year in the land 
of Israel! This year slaves, next year sons of freedom! ” 
So they chant, year after year, remembering their deliver¬ 
ance thousands of years ago, from Egypt. 

# 

Handwork 

Obtain a piece of heavy cardboard—perhaps the lid of a 
box—about twelve inches by fifteen. Copy on it the map 
found on page 256. Then cut this into irregular pieces, as 
if you were making a jig-saw puzzle. Practice putting these 
pieces together until you are familiar with your map. Then 
put the pieces together in an envelope. Exchange envelopes 
with another pupil in the class, and see which can put to¬ 
gether the other’s puzzle in the shortest time. 

Notebook Work 

Copy in your notebook the words of Psalm 105:26-37, 
and write in your own words the story of these events. 
Make a border for the psalm, using as the basis of your de¬ 
sign the Egyptian lotus flower, which is pictured on page 

191. 


Expressionae Activity 

The Children of Israel obeyed God in every detail which 
he gave to them about the passover. Always they have 
kept this passover, as he commanded. God has commanded 
us to keep holy one day in seven, when we are to rest from 
our everyday labor and worship him. Let us try this week, 


250 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

and every week, to remember the Sabbath Day and keep it 
holy. 

Memory Work 

Learn the words of the Fourth Commandment: 

“ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days 
shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is 
the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do 
any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man¬ 
servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger 
that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made 
heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested 
the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath 
day and hallowed it.” 


Review Work 

Look back to Chapter XV of your First Year Book, and 
read again what is told you there about the passover. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE PASSOVER 
Exodus 12 :21-36 

The Memory Verse 

“ Egypt was glad when they departed ; 

For the fear of them had fallen upon them.” 

—Psalm 105 :38. 


The Lesson Story 

When Moses had heard God’s directions for the prepara¬ 
tions for the passover, he quickly called together the heads 
of the families of Israel. He repeated the directions which 
God had given him, and the people did exactly as he told 
them to do. They killed a lamb in each family. They 
marked the doorway with the blood. Then thev waited. It 
must have been a solemn time to the people of Israel, who 
believed the message that God had sent to them through 
Moses. But in the homes of the Egyptians things went on 




THK FI.ICHT FROM EGYPT 































• 





















































































JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


251 


as usual. They feasted and danced; they went their way as 
they did every day. And then—at midnight the angel of the 
Lord passed over the land of Egypt. As Moses had fore¬ 
told, the first-born of man and beast died—the oldest son of 
Pharaoh on his throne, the oldest son of the captive in the 
dungeon; the first-born of the cattle. There was not a 
house where there was not one dead. Pharaoh’s h&ir was 
dead. He was frightened at last. 

Quickly he sent out into the night. He called for Moses 
and Aaron. 

“ Go out of my country,” he said. “ Go, serve the Lord. 
Take with you all your flocks and cattle and begone! ” 

Not only Pharaoh urged the Israelites to go 1 , but all the 
people. 

“ We shall all die if you stay among us,” they wailed. 
“ Go quickly.” They entreated the Israelites tQ go. They 
gave them jewels—silver and gold and clothes'—Anything to 
get rid of these people whose God was so powerful! 

And the people of Israel were ready. They took their 
dough from the kneading troughs before it had risen. They 
fastened their utensils upon their shoulders, and with all 
their goods and possessions—men and women and little chil¬ 
dren—six hundred thousand men, on foot, besides the 
children. 

“ And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which 
they brought forth out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, 
because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, 
neither had they prepared for themselves any victuals.” 

So God delivered his people from the Egyptians, and they 
set out in haste for the Promised Land. 

Putting the; Lfsson Into the; Life; of teif Cfass 

God wants his followers to obey him immediately and 
exactly. Then he will bless their undertakings and help in 
bringing them to pass. 

The Jews have remembered God’s commands about the 
passover during all the years since it was first established. 
Do you remember God’s command about keeping the Sab¬ 
bath Day holy? 

There are many of God’s commands which you know from 
the Bible, from your parents and teachers, from the little 


252 


TUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


“ conscience ” voice within. Do not be like Pharaoh, who 
hardened his heart when God spoke to him. Listen to God’s 
message and try to do those things that God wants you to do. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life: 

God spoke to Pharaoh in many ways. He speaks to me, 
too, in many ways, and I will try to hear his voice and do 
those things that he wants me to do. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

OUR PASSOVER 
I Corinthians 5 :7 

Suggestions for thf Leader’s Opfning Address 

All through their history the people of Israel have cele¬ 
brated the feast of the passover. All through the history of 
the Christian Church, the followers of Jesus have celebrated 
the Lord’s Supper, in remembrance of Christ, who sacrificed 
himself for us, and died for our sins. The Lord’s Supper 
in the Church of Jesus has taken the place of the passover 
with the Jews. Christ has commanded us to keep this feast 
of his memory. When we become members of the Church 
we go to Communion, in which we remember all those 
things that Christ has done for us and for all the people of 
the world. Let us thank our heavenly Father for his Gift 
to us and to the world. 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we thank thee for the gift of thy 
Son Jesus Christ to the world; we thank thee that through 
his death for us our sins are forgiven. We thank thee for 
the Lord’s Supper, which reminds us that Christ, our Pass- 
over, was sacrificed for us. We ask thee to help us to be 
true and faithful members of thy Church, so that we may 
come to the Communion worthily. For Jesus’ sake. Amen. 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 253 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Isaiah 53:7; John 1:29-36; I Corinthians 11:23-26; 
I Peter 1:18, 19; Revelation 7:14. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection with 

the Meeting 

“ Bread of the World, in Mercy Broken.” 

“ The Church’s One Foundation.” 

“ Hail, Thou Once Despised Jesus.” 

“ Lord Jesus Christ! For Love of Thee.” 

“ Christ for the World We Sing.” 

“ Since Jesus Is My Friend.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. What do we mean when we call Christ, “ our Pass- 
over ” ? 

2. Why do not the followers of Christ celebrate the 
passover as the Jews do? 

3. Why do we celebrate the Lord’s Supper? 

4. By what other name is the Lord’s Supper called ? 

5. How can we best show that we appreciate Christ’s 
sacrifice for us? 

6. Are you too young to become a member of Christ’s 
Church ? 

Topics for Discussion and Reports 

1. The Establishment of the Passover. 

2. The Establishment of the Lord’s Supper. 

3. What Paul Wrote About the Lord’s Supper. I Cor¬ 
inthians 11:23-26. 

4. Deciding for Christ. 

5. Why We Should Come to the Lord’s Table. 

6. What Junior Church Members Can Do in the Church. 

To Read During the Meeting 

“ The day of resurrection ! 

Earth, tell it out abroad; 

The Passover of gladness, 

The Passover of God. 


254 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


From death to life eternal, 

From this world to the sky, 

Our Christ hath brought us over 
With hymns of victory. Amen.” 


“Not all the blood of beasts 
On Jewish altars slain, 

Could give the guilty conscience peace, 
Or wash away the stain: 

“But Christ, the heavenly Lamb 
Takes all our sins away, 

A sacrifice of nobler name 
And richer blood than they.” 

“ Paschal Lamb, by God appointed, 

All our sins were on thee laid; 

By Almighty Love anointed, 

Thou hast full atonement made: 

All thy people are forgiven 

Through the virtue of thy blood; 
Opened is the gate of heaven, 

Peace is made ’twixt man and God.” 

• • • • • 

“ Where the Paschal blood is poured, 
Death’s dark angel sheathes his sword; 
Israel’s hosts triumphant go 
Through the wave that drowns the foe. 
Praise we Christ, whose blood is shed, 
Paschal Victim, Paschal Bread; 

With sincerity and love 
Eat we manna from above.” 


CHAPTER XXVI 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

STARTING FOR THE PROMISED LAND 
Exodus 12:37-51; 13:17-22; 14:1, 2 
The; Memory Verse 

“ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the 
king.”—Hebrews 11:27a. 

The Lesson Story 

The Israelites were ready and waiting for the time to leave 
the land of bondage. Quickly they ate the unleavened bread. 
Quickly they packed the last few articles which they needed, 
and soon they were on their way. From the country districts 
they marched, where they had been helping to supply water 
for the dry fields; from the store cities they came, where 
they had been making bricks and building the great buildings 
of the king. All of them—six hundred thousand men, and 
the women and children besides, perhaps two million of them 
in all, marched out from their homes, great bands of them, 
with their sheep and goats and animals, with their household 
possessions, with all sorts of provisions. 

Moses had directed the people to come together from all 
parts of the country at Succoth, the “ place of booths.” 
This is a triangular shaped district, reaching the Nile River, 
and close to the land of Goshen. 

You remember that we have learned that there were two 
main roads by which travelers went in the days of Jacob 
and Joseph from Palestine to Egypt. But at the points 
where these roads crossed the boundary into- Egypt there 
were great fortifications. There was, too, at this time, a 
great wall which probably extended from the Mediterranean 
Sea to the Gulf of Suez. This protected Egypt from the 
enemies on the east. As long as Pharaoh did not change his 
mind, the authorities would probably have let the people of 

255 


256 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 



THE WILDERNESS JOURNEY 













JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


257 


Israel pass, and the northern route, the Way of the Philis¬ 
tines, of which you studied i.. your lessons about Joseph, 
would have been the shortest route to the Promised Land. 
The people marched in this direction, and soon came to 
Etham, a word which means “ the fortification.” 

But God had other plans for his people. He knew that 
they were not ready to fight with the warlike Philistines. 
He was leading them in their journey. There was a third 
way between Egypt and Palestine, and by this the people 
were to go. He sent before them a pillar of fire and cloud 
which led them, and turned their steps south, inside the wall. 
They were still in the land of Egypt. 

On and on moved the great procession, the pillar of cloud 
and fire leading the way. Moses and Aaron had remem¬ 
bered the request of Joseph. They took with them his body, 
which was probably a mummy such as those of the early 
Egyptians which we see in museums to-day. When the 
pillar of fire stopped, the people encamped for the night. 
With the day it moved on, and they followed it. 

At last they came to the Red Sea—the body of water 
about fourteen hundred and ninety miles long by one hun¬ 
dred and fifty miles wide, which forms at its northern 

part the two gulfs, Suez and Akaba. It was to the 

part that we call the Gulf of Suez that the Children of 

Israel came. In front of them was the sea. On all sides, 
except the way in which they had come, were mountains and 
the great wall. The authorities would not let them pass! 
Something had happened! They could not go forward. 
They did not want to go back. They must have been fright¬ 
ened as they pitched their camp at the Lord’s command at 
Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol, the watch tower in the Egyp¬ 
tian wall, and Baal-Zephon, the impassable mountain range 
which sloped down to the sea. 

But God was guarding his people. The people of Israel 
should have known that he was watching over them and 
would save them, even though they seemed to be in trouble 
from which there was no escape. 

Handwork 

Continue on the sand table or on the blackboard the map 
of the region in which the Children of Israel were traveling. 


258 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Plan to make a procession such as they must have formed— 
men, women, and children, with animals, tents, and furnish¬ 
ings. Perhaps you can picture the scene on the sand table. 

Notebook Work 

Write a story in your notebook of the start from Egypt. 
Pretend that you are ten-year-old Judah or Miriam and tell 
of the first day of the journey. On another page start a 
record of the journey, something like this: 


Names of 
Places 

Miles 

Dates which 
we know 

References 

Started from 
their homes 


On the fifteenth day 
of the first month 
(Nisan, or April) 

Exodus 12:18, 34, 37 
Numbers 33:3 

Succoth 



Exodus 12:37 
Numbers 33 :5 

Etham in the 
edge of the 
wilderness, 
or Shur 

30 


Exodus 13:20 
Numbers 33 :6 

Pi-hahiroth 

42 


Exodus 14:2 
Numbers 33 :7 

Passage of 
the Red Sea 


Probably May 

Exodus 14:22 
Numbers 33 :8 


Expressionae Activity 

Find all the pictures that you can of travel in the East. 
Save these to use in the next lessons that you are going to 
study about the wanderings of the Children of Israel in the 
wilderness. 


Memory Work 

Learn the words of the Fifth Commandment, which has 
been called “ the First Commandment with a Promise.” 

“ Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be 
long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” 











JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


259 


The: Departure: Prom Egypt 

Each householder was to assemble his family round him; 
all were to be prepared as for a journey, their long garments 
girt up about their loins, their shoes on their feet, and their 
staffs in their hands; a lamb was to be sacrificed, and the 
blood to be splashed on the lintels and the two doorposts of 
the houses; then the lamb was to be roasted and unleavened 
bread hastily prepared to eat with it; and the households 
were to wait in silent expectation. At midnight the destroy¬ 
ing angel was to gO' through the entire land of Egypt, smit¬ 
ing in each house the first-born, but “ passing over ” the 
houses on which the blood of the lamb was sprinkled. Then 
a cry would be heard, and .hurrying messengers from 
Pharaoh would burst in requiring all to go forth, and be¬ 
gone from among his people; and the meal prepared was to 
be snatched in hot haste, and eaten standing, and then the 
journey was to begin. All had to be explained beforehand 
by Moses, and all arranged beforehand; the households had 
to be got ready, the beasts to be laden, the household goods, 
or such as were most necessary, to be packed, the people to 
ask for farewell presents from their well-to-do Egyptian 
neighbors, and all to be in preparation for an immediate 
start. . . 

Both nations waited, and at last the blow fell. At mid¬ 
night of the fourteenth of Nisan, the Lord went forth, and 
“ smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the 
first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first¬ 
born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the 
first-born of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, 
and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a 
great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there 
was not one dead/ 7 Exodus 12:29, 30. The cry was “ the 
loud, frantic, funeral wail, characteristic of the nation.” It 
went up from the royal palace, from the grand mansions of 
the rich and the noble, from the small but tidy dwellings of 
the artisans, from the mean and wretched huts of the poor— 
one universal piercing bitter wail, making night hideous, and 
thrilling through every ear. All Israel heard it, and knew 
that the time of their redemption drew nigh. All Egypt 
heard it, and resolved to send the people through whom they 
suffered out of the land. Pharaoh heard it, and proceeded 


260 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

to “ thrust Israel out.” His own first-born, the heir to his 
crown, was, it must be remembered, dead. He sent a mes¬ 
sage to Moses and Aaron “ by night,” saying—“ Rise up, 
get you forth from among my people, both ye and the chil¬ 
dren of Israel; and go, serve Jehovah, as ye have said. Take 
both your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be 
gone; and bless me also.” 

It was an utter surrender, a yielding up of everything. 
The long struggle had terminated in the complete triumph 
of Moses. Pharaoh yielded all that had been ever asked. 
—“ Moses, His Life and Times,” by Rawlinson. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE CROSSING OF THE RED SEA 
Exodus 14:3 to 15:2 
The Memory Verse 

“ And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand 
still, and see the salvation of Jehovah.” 

—Exodus 14:13a. 

The Lesson Story 

Back in the cities from which the Children of Israel had 
departed the Egyptians looked at one another in dismay. 

“ What shall we do for slaves to make our bricks ? ” they 
asked one another. “ What shall we do for men to build 
our cities and to water our fields and do our hard work ? ” 
For so many years they had depended on the Children of 
Israel that now they hardly knew what to do. Even 
Pharaoh realized what had happened. God hardened his 
heart and made him sorry for the permission to go out of 
his land which he had given to Moses and Aaron. 

Then messengers came to him. “ The Children of Israel 
have not gone out from Egypt,” they said. “ They are still 
in our land.” 

“ Let us follow them,” cried Pharaoh. “ They are tangled 
in the wilderness; they have been foolish that they have not 
left our land.” 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


261 


Quickly he ordered six hundred war chariots to be gotten 
ready. They started after the Children of Israel—that 
great column of men and women and children and animals, 
following God’s pillar of cloud and fire. 

Of course the chariots of Pharaoh overtook the hosts of 
Israelites, marching on foot. They came upon them en¬ 
camped at Pi-hahiroth, by the Red Sea. 

“We have these people now,” Pharaoh’s generals must 
have thought. “ How foolish they were to get themselves 
into trouble like this! They have no way of escape except 
the way in which they came. And we can cut that off, 
easily.” Sure of themselves they encamped; it seemed to 
them that there was no possible way in which the Children 
of Israel could escape. 

This seemed true to the Children of Israel, too. They be¬ 
came angry and blamed Moses because he had led them into 
such danger. 

But again God encouraged Moses. Again he told his 
messenger what to do. Moses knew that God was caring 
for his people. He spoke to them words of encouragement, 
telling them that God would help them as he had promised. 

“ Fear ye not,” he said. “ Stand still and see the salva¬ 
tion of Jehovah which he will show you this day.” 

The pillar of fire and cloud which had been guiding the 
Children of Israel moved from the place where it had been 
before them. It moved between the Israelites and the Egyp¬ 
tians. It was a pillar of darkness toward the Egyptians and 
a pillar of light toward the Children of Israel. All night 
long it separated the two forces. 

Then, in the early morning, Moses spoke to his people. 
He went down to the shore of the sea and stretched out his 
hand, as the Lord commanded him to do. As Moses obeyed 
God’s direction, a wonderful thing came to pass. A strong 
east wind had been blowing all night, and as they looked, 
they saw that the sea was divided. There was a dry path 
through it, with the waters as a wall on the right hand and 
the left! God had opened a path for his people where there 
had been no path before. The way of escape from Egypt 
lay in front of them. 

Quickly the column moved forward. The pillar of fire 
gave light to them, though the Egyptian army was in a sort 


262 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


of fog. Quickly they moveed across the pathway, to the 
other side of the sea. 

The Egyptians knew that something was happening in the 
camp of the Israelites. They could hardly see where they 
were going because of the pillar of darkness, but they moved 
forward, too. They followed the Israelites into the path 
through the sea. The path was muddy. Their chariot 
wheels stuck, and came off, and they became frightened. 
They were ready to turn back. 

Once more God told Moses to stretch out his hand over 
the water, and once more Moses obeyed. Quickly the waters 
of the sea returned to their place. They covered Pharaoh’s 
horsemen and their chariots, and they were all drowned. 
Not even one of them was saved! 

But the Children of Israel were safe on the other side of 
the sea. At last they were out of the land of Pharaoh. 
And once more God had shown them that he was guarding 
them and watching over them. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Liee oe the Class 

God protected the Children of Israel when they were in 
danger. He will protect our nation, too, in times of danger 
if our people try to do his will, and to follow his Command¬ 
ments. He will protect us as individuals, too, if we obey 
him and trust him always. 

If you get into trouble, and there seems no way out, ask 
God to help you and he will open up the way before you. 

The pillar of fire guided the Children of Israel, and Moses 
was God’s messenger to them. We, too, have a guide—the 
Bible; and we, too, have messengers who help us to under¬ 
stand what God wants us to do; that is, our parents and 
teachers. 


The Lesson Truth in Your Liee 

God will help us when we are in trouble, if we call upon 
him and trust him to open a path before us across our Red 
Seas of difficulty. 

How God Saved the People oe Leyden 

Leyden is a city in the brave little country of Holland— 
that land for which the people always have to fight with old 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


263 


Ocean, where they build dikes to keep out the enemy sea 
from invading the country. 

But in the year 1574 the people of Leyden were fighting 
with another enemy than the ocean. Philip of Spain had laid 
claim to Holland, and had brought his great fleet of ships 
to attack the city of Leyden. For a year it had withstood 
the siege. The Dutch fleet with supplies could not get near 
it, and the people were almost starving to death. 

And then came the spring tides—the enemy whose attack 
the people of Leyden feared each year. This year the tides 
crept higher and higher. One inch—two inches—three 
inches higher than usual they rose. A southwest wind be¬ 
gan to blow. Up piled the water of the green North Sea, 
fifteen inches higher than it had ever been before. The 
people forgot that the sea was their enemy. They cut the 
dikes. The Dutch fleet sailed through the destroyed walls, 
and across the fields; and there among the branches of 
the orchard trees and the chimney stacks of farm¬ 
houses, the Dutch and the Spanish fought a great naval bat¬ 
tle. The Dutch won, and Leyden was saved. 

And always the people of Leyden have thought that God 
sent that great southwest wind and that great spring tide, 
which helped to save the city, just as he sent the strong east 
wind which blew back the waters of the Red Sea and saved 
the Children of Israel from the chariots and horsemen of 
Pharaoh. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

GOD GUIDING OUR NATION 
I Kings 8:54-61 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

Moses was brave as he led the Children of Israel for¬ 
ward. He was brave even when he knew that Pharaoh was 
behind them, and that they seemed to be caught in a trap 
from which there was no way of escape. He was brave as 
he said, “ Stand still,” because he had faith in God, who 
loved the Children of Israel and had promised that he would 



264 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


guide them and help them. And God did guide them by 
means of the pillar of cloud and fire, and opened up a path 
before them through the Red Sea. 

Our nation, too, has been given guidance in difficulties. 
We, too, want to be a nation which follows God’s leading. 
Then he will bless us as he blessed the Children of Israel, 
and show us, too, the salvation of Jehovah. Let us ask God 
to help us to follow him, as individuals and as a nation. 

The: Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we trust thee, and we want to fol¬ 
low the path which will lead us in the right way. Help our 
nation to be a truly Christian nation, acting in such ways 
that we will show to other nations that we truly follow 
thee. We ask in the name of Jesus, who taught his fol¬ 
lowers to be true to the government by which they were 
ruled in the world, as well as to thee. Amen. 

Verses for Usf in the: Meeting 

Joshua 24:17; Psalm 14:34; 22:4, 5; 33:12; 77:19, 20; 
78:12-14; 124:2, 3; Proverbs 4:18; Isaiah 60:12; Matthew 
22:17-21. 

Hymns that May Be: Usfd in Connection with 

the Meeting 

“ Move Forward.” 

“ I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go, Dear Lord.” 

“ When Israel, of the Lord Beloved.” 

“ Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory.” 

“ God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Why did not the Children of Israel go out from Egypt 
by the Way of the Philistines? 

2. Why did the Egyptians pursue the Children of Israel? 

3. How did God save the Children of Israel from 
Pharaoh’s army? 

4. God led the Children of Israel by a pillar of cloud and 
fire. How does he lead his people to-day ? 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


265 


5. How can Juniors follow God’s leadership? 

6. How can Juniors show that they are following God’s 
leadership ? 

7. How can our nation show that it is following God’s 
leadership ? 


Topics for Discussion and Reports 

1. The Position of the Israelites at the Red Sea. 

2. Why Pharaoh’s Heart Was Hardened. 

3. Crossing the Red Sea. 

4. Ways in Which God Has Saved His People in Mod¬ 
ern Times. 

5. God’s Leadership in Our Lives. 

6. Following God’s Guidance. 

7. God’s Guidance in the Life of Our Nation. 

8. How Juniors Can Follow God’s Guidance. 

9. How Our Nation Can Follow God’s Guidance. 


To Read in the Meeting 

God guides his people to-day as he guided them in the 
days of the flight from Egypt. He does not send us a pillar 
of cloud and fire, but he does guide us in other ways, and 
shows us the path that we should follow. 

God’s Word, the Bible, tells us how we should go. The 
life of Jesus, who was the Way, helps us on the right path. 

“ When Israel, of the Lord beloved, 

Out from the land of bondage came, 

Her father’s God before her moved, 

An awful guide, in smoke and flame. 

“ By day, along the astonished lands 
The cloudy pillar glided slow; 

By night, Arabia’s crimsoned sands 
Returned the fiery column’s glow. 

“And oh, when gathers in our path, 

In shade and storm the frequent night, 

Be thou, long-suffering, slow to wrath, 

A burning and a shining light.” 

—Scott. 


“ Our country does not ask us to die for her only, she asks 


266 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


us to live and so to act that her government may be pure, her 
officers honest, and every corner of her territory a place fit 
to grow the best men and women who shall rule over her.” 

Benjamin Franklin, the great statesman in the beginnings 
of the history of our country says: “I have lived, sir, a 
long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs 
I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. 
And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his 
notice, is it possible that an empire can rise without his aid ? 
We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings that 
‘ Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that 
build it.’ I firmly believe this.” 

“ The Lord thy God 
He it is that goes before thee, 

His the banner waving o'er thee, 

Bright and broad! 

When the fiercest foes assail thee, 

He it is that will not fail thee, 

The Lord thy God ! ” 

“ Loud and long 
Lift the old, exulting song, 

Sing with Miriam by the sea, 

He hath cast the mighty down, 

Horse and rider sink and drown, 

He that triumphed gloriously.” 


CHAPTER XXVII 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI 
Exodus 15:22 to 16:1 
The: Memory Verse: 

“ Who is like unto thee, O Jehovah, among the gods? 
Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, 

Fearful in praises, doing wonders ? ” 

—Exodus 15:11. 


The Lesson Story 

At last the Children of Israel were out of the power of 
the Pharaoh of Egypt. By a miracle of God, they had 
passed through the Red Sea in safety, and their first act 
was to give thanks to him for what he had done for them. 
Moses and the Children of Israel sang together their song of 
praise; Miriam and the other women sang and danced in 
thanksgiving for their rescue from their enemies. 

Then the great company moved forward into the wilder¬ 
ness. Look at your map and find the place where they 
crossed the Red Sea. This is usually thought to have been 
at the point called “ the Wells of Moses.” Then trace the 
line of march into the Wilderness of Shur. Exodus 15:22. 
For three days they went forward into the wilderness—a 
journey of forty-seven miles—and in all that distance they 
found no water. That which they had brought with them 
in their leather bottles was probably almost gone. You can 
imagine how glad they were when they came to Marah, 
where there was water. But you can imagine, too, how dis¬ 
appointed they were when they found that the waters of the 
well were bitter. Once more Moses cried to God for help, 
and once more God showed mercy to his people. He showed 
to Moses a tree, and told him to cast it into the water. 

267 


268 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


And by this means God performed the miracle by which the 
bitter waters of Marah were made sweet. 

Again the band moved forward and came to Elim—a 
beautiful oasis in the desert, with twelve springs of fresh 
water, and seventy palm trees. Here they encamped in 
peace and plenty. They had water and food for themselves 
and their flocks. They were happy and contented. 



But once more the pillar of cloud and fire moved forward 
into the wilderness. Quickly the people obeyed the signal. 
They filled their leather bottles with water. They packed up 
their tents and their supplies, and followed their guide. At 
first, as Numbers 33:10 tells us, they journeyed from Elim 
toward the Red Sea once more, where they encamped for a 
short time. Then they moved away from the sea, into the 





JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


269 


Wilderness of Sin, which they reached on the fifteenth day of 
the second month after their departure from Egypt. And 
here their troubles really began, for the Wilderness of Sin is 
even to-day a desolate, dreary waste. “ It is an open plain,” 
says one authority, “ three or four miles wide, and ten miles 
long, almost destitute of any signs of vegetable life, with 
streaks of black sand, and strewn with blocks of gray gran¬ 
ite.” And here, in the barren wilderness, the Children of 
Israel received once more a proof of God’s love and care for 
them, even when they were rebellious and disobedient. 

Handwork 

Picture on the sand table the encampment of the children 
of Israel at Elim, with wells and palm trees. Use the pat¬ 
tern of the palm tree and the well given with this lesson. 



Notebook Work 

Continue the record of the journeyings of the Children of 
Israel which you began last week, as follows: 


Names of 

Dates which 


Places Miles 

we know 

References 

The Crossing 
of the Red 

Probably in May 

Exodus 14:15 

Sea 



The Wilder¬ 
ness of Shur 


Exodus 15:22 











270 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Marah 

47 


Exodus 

15:23 

Elim 



Exodus 

15:27 

“ By the Red 
Sea” 

28 


Numbers 

33:10 

Wilderness 
of Sin 


May 19 (The 
fifteenth day of 
the second month 
after leaving Egypt) 

Exodus 

16:1 


Expressionae Activity 

During this week try to give food to 1 some one who needs 
it, to remind you that God provided food and drink for the 
Israelites in the desert. If you have given food to some one 
who needs it, you will understand more about the way in 
which the Children of Israel felt when God miraculously 
sent them food. You will learn more about this on Sunday. 

Memory Work 

Learn the words of the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Com¬ 
mandments, as follows: 

“ Thou shalt not kill.” 

“ Thou shalt not commit adultery.” 

“ Thou shalt not steal.” 

The Peninsura oe Sinai 

The area of the peninsula proper is little less than ten 
thousand square miles. It is one vast desert, relieved by a 
few cases along the seacoast and deep among the network of 
rocky valleys. In the north and along both seacoasts are 
vast stretches of sand, which forever shift before the winds 
from land and sea. Further onward are stony plateaus and 
great wastes of sand glistening with salt. But just south 
of the center of the peninsula, like a great lighthouse be¬ 
tween two continents, rises the huge granite range of Sinai 
to a height of over eight thousand five hundred feet. . . 

Long before the days of the Exodus this range was known 
as Horeb, or the mountain of God, and into this maze of 







JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


271 


divine handiwork the Children of Israel were led forty days 
or more after they quitted the bondage of Egypt on the 
banks of the Nile. Here among these sublime valleys and 
majestic granite peaks they remained eleven months while 
Moses, under God’s own guidance, transformed the mass 
of Hebrew slaves into Israel, the Chosen People, the miracle 
of human history. 

—Franklin E. Hoskins, in “ From the Nile to Nebo.” 


SUNDAY SESSION 

MANNA IN THE WILDERNESS 
Exodus 16:2-31 
The Memory Verse 

“ Give us this day our daily bread.”—Matthew 6:11. 

The Lesson Story 

At the oasis of Elim the Children of Israel had had food 
and drink, but as they moved forward into the desert, fol¬ 
lowing the pillar of cloud and fire, their supplies grew less 
and less. They forgot the suffering that they had endured 
in Egypt. They remembered only the flesh-pots of Egypt 
and the fact that they had had food to eat. They com¬ 
plained against Moses and Aaron, and so against God. 
Does it not seem strange that they should so quickly have 
forgotten God’s miracles that he had done for them, and the 
promises that he had made to them ? 

They were ungrateful and forgetful, and showed that 
they needed training in the wilderness school before they 
were ready to take possession of the Promised Land. 

Once more God spoke to Moses and Aaron. 

“ Behold, I will rain bread from heaven,” he said, “ and 
the people shall go out and gather some of it each day. I 
will test them, to see whether they will follow me, or not.” 
Then the Lord gave further instructions to Moses and Aaron, 
and the two brothers, calling an assembly of the people, gave 
to them God’s message. God’s glory was to appear to them 
in the morning. They were to have flesh to eat in the 



272 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


evening, and bread in the morning. Then Moses added that 
the people were not complaining against him, but against 
God, who had done so many wonderful things for them. 

Then Moses and Aaron gave to the people a command. 

“ Come near before Jehovah,” they said. “ He has heard 
your complaints.” And as the people looked out toward the 
wilderness, the glory of the Lord appeared before them in a 
cloud, giving to them once more the proof that God was 
with them. 

And that evening God satisfied their longing for food. A 
great flock of quail flew over the camp. They seemed ex¬ 
hausted by their flight, and covered the ground, so that the 



people could easily catch them. God had kept his promise 
that they should have flesh to eat. 

In the next morning, he kept his promise of bread, also, 
for when they awoke and looked from their tents, the ground 
was covered with dew. When the dew disappeared there 
lay on the ground a small, round white substance like frost. 

The Children of Israel had never seen anything like this. 

“ Man hu —what is it ? ” they asked. 

“ It is bread from heaven which God promised you,” an¬ 
swered Moses. “ Gather it for yourselves. Gather just 
enough for your families, a measure for each member, no 
more, no less. Do not leave any for to-morrow.” 

Many of the people disobeyed Moses. They gathered 
more manna than they needed. But they found that their 





JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


273 


leader knew best. That which they kept overnight was 
spoiled. 

When the sixth morning came, Moses gave a strange 
direction. 

“ Gather enough this morning for both to-day and to¬ 
morrow/’ he said. “ To-morrow will be a day of rest. Six 
days shall you gather the manna, but on the seventh, there 
shall be none. ,, 

Again many of the people disobeyed Moses. They 
thought that they knew better than he. They did not make 
provision for that day, because they thought that the manna 
would be spoiled. But when they awoke in the morning, 
there was no manna on the ground, and those who had 
obeyed Moses’ command found that he was right. The 
manna which they had gathered on the sixth day was not 
spoiled. God had provided his obedient followers with food 
for the day of rest. 

What the Manna Was Like 

The Bible tells us that the manna was “ like coriander 
seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with 
honey.” The coriander is a plant which grows wild in 
Arabia. It bears pink or white flowers and a small, round 
fruit, and white seeds. The manna was ground in mills, 
beaten in mortars, boiled in pots, and baked into cakes. 

Various plants which grow in the wilderness give forth 
a manna-like substance. There is one tree in particular 
which produces this so-called manna. It is dirty yellow in 
color, at first, but becomes white when it falls on the stones. 
It melts in the heat of the sun. The Arabs, it is said, use 
plant manna of different kinds as butter and honey. But 
it is produced only during about six to ten weeks in the 
summer, and all that grows in Sinai is less than half a ton 
in the best years. This plant manna is not the manna with 
which God fed the Children of Israel. That was a food 
provided miraculously. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Liee oe the Class 

God cared for the Children of Israel in the wilderness. 
He sent to them food and drink, even when they were dis- 


274 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


obedient and ungrateful. He cares for us, too, even though 
vve are sometimes careless and neglectful in thanking him 
for his gifts to us. 

Are you careful to give thanks to God each day for his 
kindness in giving you food and drink? Do you complain 
when things do not go in exactly the way you want them to 
go, or do you make the best of things ? Are you forgetful 
of God’s good gifts or are you thankful for the blessings 
which he has given to you ? 

The Lesson Truth in Your Lite 

God sends to all his children many blessings of shelter and 
food and clothing. I will not forget to thank him for all 
his blessings to me and to others in the world. 

A Hymn to Read 

“Traveling to the better land, 

O’er the deserts scorching sand, 

Father! let me grasp thy hand, 

Lead me on, lead me on. 

“ When at Marah, parched with heat, 

I the sparkling fountains greet, 

Make the bitter waters sweet, 

Lead me on, lead me on.” 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

% 

GOD’S GIFTS OF FOOD TO OUR NATION 
Deuteronomy 33:13-16a 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

God sent food to the Children of Israel in the wilderness. 
Miraculously he provided them with manna. To-day we 
who live in this wonderful land of ours are provided, too, 
with food. It is not sent to us by the kind of miracle by 
which God sent the manna to the Children of Israel, but 
each year the miracle of growth is renewed—just as great 
a miracle as the miraculous feeding of the Israelites at the 
Red Sea. Each year the seed springs up, and we have fields 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


275 


of waving grain to give us bread; trees heavy with fruit; 
pastures rich in cattle. God sends us so many blessings. 
Are we thankful enough to him for these things? Do we 
stop to tell him how much we enjoy the food and drink and 
all our blessings which tell of his loving care? Let us 
thank him for his goodness and loving-kindness to us and 
to all men. 


The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven we thank thee for all the blessings 
which thou hast given us in this wonderful land of ours. 
We do not always appreciate the fact that all these blessings 
are thy gifts, coming down to us from thee. We want to¬ 
day to thank thee for all thy gifts to us and to everyone. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Psalm 24:1; 65 :9-13 ; 67:5-7; 104:14. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection with 

the Meeting 

“ Once More the Liberal Year Laughs Out.” 

“ All the Year Is God’s Own Field.” 

“ This Is My Father’s World.” 

“ God Bless the Land.” 

“ O Beautiful for Spacious Skies.” 

“ O God of Hosts, with Thy Strong Hand.” 

“ We’re Marching to Zion.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. How did God provide for the Children of Israel in 
the wilderness? 

2. How did he send them flesh to eat ? 

3. What can you tell about manna? 

4. How does God provide food for the people of the 
United States to-day? 

5. Is this as much of a miracle as the way in which he 
provided food for the Children of Israel? 

6. How can we thank him for the bountiful provision 
that he has made for us? 


276 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


7. Do you say a grace at table each meal, to express to 
God your thanksgiving ? 

Topics for Discussion and Reports 

1. The Manna of the Desert. 

2. Our Daily Bread. 

3. Why the Children of Israel Could Have Food for 
Only One Day at a Time. 

4. Asking and Receiving. 

5. God’s Gifts to Our Nation. 

6. How We Can Show Our Thanksgiving to God. 

To Read in the Meeting 

“ Back of the loaf is the snowy flour, 

And back of the flour is the mill; 

And back of the mill is the wheat and the shower, 

And the sun and the Father’s will.” 


“ He who thanks but with his lips, 
Thanks but in part; 

The real, the true, thanksgiving 
Comes from the heart.” 


“ Lord, bless this meat that we shall eat, 
This bread that we shall break; 
Make all our actions kind and sweet; 
We ask, for Jesus’ sake.” 


“ We thank thee for our daily bread, 
And all the blessings on us shed; 
We pray thee fill us with thy love, 
And guide us to our home above.” 


“ Praise 
Praise 
Praise 
Praise 


God, from whom all blessings flow; 
him, ye creatures, here below; 
him above, ye heavenly host; 
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!” 


CHAPTER XXVIII 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

HOW GOD PROVIDED WATER FOR THE 
ISRAELITES IN THE WILDERNESS 
Exodus 17 :l-7; Numbers 33:12, 13 
The: Memory Verse 

“ He opened the rock, and waters gushed out; 

They ran in the dry places like a river.” 

—Psalm 105:41. 


The Lesson Story 

The Children of Israel traveled through the Wilderness 
of Sin. They encamped at a place called Dophkah, and at 
another place called Alush, Numbers 33:12, 13, but of these 
places we know nothing. 

Finally they came to Rephidim, in the mountainous dis¬ 
trict near Sinai. Here they found, as they had found sev¬ 
eral times before in their wilderness journeyings, that there 
was no water to drink. Again they showed their ingrati¬ 
tude and rebellious spirit, for again they came threateningly 
to Moses, demanding water to drink. They were so angry 
that they were almost ready to stone him. Moses tried to 
calm the people, and then once more he turned to the Lord, 
asking for help. 

Once more the Lord helped the leader whom he had 
chosen for his people, to perform a miracle. He told Moses 
exactly what to do. He was to take his rod and to strike a 
rock; and water should gush forth. 

Moses did as God directed. He called together all the 
people, and in their presence struck the rock. Water gushed 
out—enough to supply all their needs. 

There in Rephidim the Israelites, under the leadership of 
Moses and a younger leader named Joshua fought with the 

277 


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JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


desert dwellers, the Amalekites, and God gave to them the 
victory. Then in the third month after their departure from 
Egypt, they came to the foot of Mount Sinai, or Horeb, a 
distance of eighty-two miles from Rephidim. 

Mount Sinai, or Horeb, as you remember, was the place 
where Moses had been feeding the flocks of his father-in- 
law, when God spoke to him from the burning bush. It is 
usually identified with the mountain called nowadays “ Jebel 
Musa,” the Mountain of Moses. It rises seventy-three hun¬ 
dred and sixty-three feet above the level of the sea, the 
principal height in a range of granite mountains. At its 
northwestern base stretches the plain El-Rahah, which is 
the only plain in the neighborhood where a band of people 
as great in numbers as were the Israelites could find room 
for their encampment. Fronting this plain is a bluff called 
Ras es-Sufsafeh, rising twenty-three hundred and thirty feet 
above the plain. Here the pillar of cloud and fire halted. 
The people of Israel encamped. They did not know it yet, 
but they were to stay in this encampment for eleven months, 
and they were here to have given to them the most wonder¬ 
ful laws for a happy nation that the world has ever known. 

Mount Sinai: the: Ten Commandments 

We are in the very heart of the mountains. Here are 
great granite peaks (the highest is eighty-five hundred and 
fifty-one feet) from which there is a grand view over the 
mountains to the sea on either hand, and across the water to 
Egypt and Arabia. The view at sunrise or at sunset, with its 
soft lights and shades and colors, is said to be wonderfully 
beautiful. 

One rough granite mountain is called Jebel Musa. (Jebel 
means “ mountain,” and Musa is “ Moses.”) At one side 
the mountain ends in a fine great cliff, seamed and scarred 
by the weather. (Ras es-Sufsafeh: Ras means “ head,” and 
Sufsafeh “ willow.”) We can stand on top of the cliff and 
think that here Moses came and was taught by the Lord 
what the people should do. We look down into the broad 
valley below, with gravel floor, where most of the people 
were encamped; and there are smaller valleys at either side 
where some of their tents were pitched. In one of these 
valleys now stands the Convent of St. Catherine, where 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


279 


monks still live. It is famous for a manuscript of the Bible 
(the Codex Sinaiticus) which was found in its library. 

We must go down and stand in the sandy plain where 
the people stood. Bare rocky mountains were on either side. 
The stern cliff of Sinai rose up in front. Moses had been 
up into the mountain and had brought the command from 
the Lord that the people should prepare themselves. Bounds 
should be set before the cliff that no one might go up into 
the mountain, nor even touch it with his hand. Then all 
the people heard the Ten Commandments. They are the 
Lord’s own laws of life, which teach the ways in which 
everyone must live to be happy in this world and in heaven. 

—William L. Worcester, in “ On Holy Ground.” 

Handwork and Map Work 

Continue the work which you have begun on the map of 
the Peninsula of Sinai, either on the sand table or on the 
blackboard, or on the map which your teacher is helping you 
to make. 


Notebook Work 

Continue the itinerary of the journeyings of the Children 
of Israel in the desert, as follows: 


Names of 

Places Miles 

Dates which 
we know 

References 

Encampment 
at Dophkah 


Numbers 33:12 

Encampment 
at Alush 


Numbers 33 :13 

Encampment 
at Rephidim 


Exodus 17:1 

Move into 

Desert of 

Sinai 


Exodus 19:2 

Arrived at 82 

In the third month. 

Exodus 19:1 

Mount Sinai 

Probably June 












280 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Expressionae Activity 

God helped Moses by a miracle to supply water for the 
needs of the Children of Israel in the Wilderness. He 
wants you to help to supply the needs of those who require 
help. Remember that Jesus said that he rejoiced in even a 
cup of cold water given in his name, and try this week to 
do something for some one who needs help. 

Memory Work 

Learn the words of the Ninth and Tenth Commandments, 
as follows: 

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” 

“ Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not 
covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid¬ 
servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy 
neighbor’s.” 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE GIVING OF THE LAW 
Exodus 19:3-14; 20:1-20; 32:15, 16 
The Memory Verse 

“If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.” 

—John 14:15. 


The Lesson Story 

It was in the third month after their departure from 
Egypt that the Children of Israel reached Mount Sinai, and 
encamped in the plain before it, where they were to remain 
for almost a year. In this place God had planned to give 
to his people the laws which were to make them a nation. 
He gave to Moses the directions as to how the people were 
to make ready for receiving his laws. God himself would 
speak to the people, and he set bounds around the mountain, 
which they were not to pass. 

The Children of Israel prepared themselves as com¬ 
manded. They washed their clothing, so that it might be 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


281 


fit for them to wear when they were to listen to God’s 
words. On the third day, they assembled at the foot of the 
mountain,^ as God had directed. The whole mountain 
smoked. There was thunder and lightning. The people were 
afraid, for they knew that they were in the presence of God. 
Then God’s voice spoke to them. He said the words which 
you have been learning for seven weeks—the words which 
we call “ The Ten Commandments,” or “ The Decalogue,” 
or the “ Law.” Exodus 20:1-17. 

These Ten Commandments have been divided into two 
parts. Commandments I to IV tell of our duty to God; 
Commandments V to X tell us our duty to other people. 
We are not to worship anyone else, or anything else, than 
God; we shall not make or worship images; we shall not 



take the name of God “ in vain,” which means that we should 
not use God’s name carelessly or profanely. The Fourth 
Commandment tells us to “ remember the Sabbath day,”— 
that day on which God rested from his labor in the creation 
of the world—and “ keep it holy.” These four Command¬ 
ments are called “ the first table of the law.” 

The “ second table of the law ” begins with the Fifth 
Commandment, which is called “ the first Commandment 
with a promise.” You know what that promise is—“that 
thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God 
giveth thee.” God wants his followers to have happy homes, 
and happy homes are possible only where children love and 
honor their parents, where obedience is the rule. And that 






282 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


obedience should be the kind of obedience that comes be¬ 
cause we love our parents and want to obey them, not 
because we have to. The rest of the Commandments deal 
with our relations to our neighbors. Others have rights 
which we are bound to respect. We must not act in any 
way that will injure our neighbors, taking their lives, or 
destroying their homes, or harming or stealing their prop¬ 
erty. We must be truthful and honorable in all our con¬ 
nections with other people. 

God spoke all the Ten Commandments from the moun¬ 
tain. He gave other directions, too, and Moses wrote all 
the words of the Lord. Then God called to Moses, “ Come 
up to me into the mount, . . . and I will give thee the tables 
of stone, and the law and the commandment, which I have 
written,” Exodus 24:12. 

In obedience to God’s command, Moses and Joshua went 
up into Mount Sinai, and then Moses was taken into the 
cloud which covered the mountain. For forty days he re¬ 
mained there, and when he descended from the mountain, 
he brought down with him two tables of stone, on which 
God had written the laws which he had given to the people. 
“ And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was 
the writing of God, graven upon the tables.” In such a 
wonderful way God gave to the Children of Israel and to us, 
the laws which have been written down for us in our Bibles, 
and which we should all learn by heart, and keep every day 
of our lives. 

Putting the; Lesson Into the Life of the Class 

God gave to the Children of Israel the Ten Command¬ 
ments. He wants his followers of to-day to obey those Com¬ 
mandments, just as he wanted the Children of Israel to 
obey them. 

God commanded his people to make ready to listen to his 
words by cleansing themselves and washing their garments. 
We should show that we honor God’s services by the way 
in which we prepare to go to church. Sometimes boys and 
girls think that people dress up when they go to church 
“ just to show off.” Of course we should not do this, but we 
should show honor to God by preparing ourselves and dress¬ 
ing ourselves properly so that we may be ready for his wor- 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


283 


ship. We would make special preparations if we were go¬ 
ing to talk to the President. Much more should we make 
preparations when we are going to the services in honor of 
our Lord and King. 

Think over the Ten Commandments, and decide which of 
them apply particularly to boys and girls. The First Com¬ 
mandment, the Fourth, the Fifth, the Eighth, the Ninth, the 
Tenth—all these you may find that you are tempted to 
break every day. Have you kept the Fourth Command¬ 
ment to-day ? 

The: Lesson Truth in Your Lite 

God wants his followers to-day to keep the Ten Com¬ 
mandments, as he wanted the Children of Israel to do. I 
will try to follow out these laws in my life, this week, and 
all the time. 


The: TabeEs oe the: Law 

You must not think of the word “ table,” as meaning what 
we usually mean when we speak of a “ table.” Here the 
word really means “ tablet,” or a block of stone. It has been 
calculated that if these two' tablets were 27 inches by 18, the 
172 Hebrew words of the Decalogue could easily be put 
upon them, if both sides were used, as was usual. Two 
tablets of such size could easily have been carried by Moses. 
Tablets of such a size could be inscribed with very large 
letters. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS 
. Matthew 22:35-40 

Suggestions tor the: Leader’s Opening Address 

All through the world’s history, since the days of Moses, 
the Ten Commandments have been kept by those who are 
trying to do God’s will. When Jesus was alive, a lawyer 
came to him and asked him which was the greatest of the 



284 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Ten Commandments, and Jesus said in answer the words 
which we all know, which are called the “ Two Great Com¬ 
mandments ”: “ Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all 
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This 
is the great and first commandment. And a second like unto 
it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these 
two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the 
prophets.” If we keep these Commandments of Jesus, we 
shall find that we are keeping all the rest. If we love God 
with all our hearts and minds and souls, we will not worship 
other gods than the true God; or if we love our neighbors 
as we love ourselves, we shall not steal from them, nor 
“ bear false witness ” against them. Let us ask God to help 
us to keep his Commandments. 

• 

The Ceass Prayer 

O God, we would keep the Commandments which thou 
hast given to us in the Old Testament, and also in the New 
Testament. Help us, we pray thee, to love thee with all our 
heart and soul and mind, and our neighbors as ourselves. 
For Jesus’ sake. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Psalm 103:17, 18; Mark 12:28-33; John 12:49, 50; 15:12; 
Romans 7:12; Ephesians 6:2, 3; II Peter 2:21; I John 
2:7-11; 3:23; 4:21; II John 4, 6. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection with 

the Meeting 

“ Saviour, Teach Me Day by Day.” 

“ The King of Love My Shepherd Is.” 

“ Be with Us, O Father.” 

“ We Are Children, Happy Children.” 

“ We, O Lord, Are Little Pilgrims.” 

“ We Journey On to the Land of Love.” 

Questions eor Use in the Meeting 

1. What are the first four Commandments? About what 
do they tell us ? 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


285 


2. What are the last six Commandments? About what 
relationships do they tell us ? 

3. What are the Two Great Commandments? 

4. Why are the Ten Commandments sometimes called 
The Decalogue ? ” 

5. Why are they sometimes called “ The Law ” ? 

6. Have you obeyed the Ten Commandments this week? 

7. Have you obeyed the Two Great Commandments this 
week ? 


Topics for Discussion and Reports 

1. The First Table of the Law. 

2. The Second Table of the Law. 

3. Keeping God’s Laws. 

4. Keeping Our Nation’s Laws. 

5. Christian Citizens. 

6. How Juniors Can Be Christian Citizens. 

To Read in the Meeting 

The boys of the city of Athens in Greece used to take an 
oath of loyalty to their city and state, in which they swore 
that never would they by any act disgrace the city’s name. 
Christ’s followers should never do' anything that will bring 
disgrace upon his name, which we bear. 

If we love God truly, and our neighbors as ourselves, we 
will never do anything that will bring disgrace upon the 
name of our Lord and Master. 

God so loved the world that he sent his only Son to save 
us from our sins. We should try to keep his Command¬ 
ments, to show that we appreciate the great things that have 
been done for us. 




STORIES OF MOSES AND HIS TIMES 





CHAPTER XXIX 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS 
Exodus 25:1-9; 35:4-29; 36:2-7; 40:17-38 
The: Memory Verse 

“ And there I will meet with thee.”—Exodus 25 :22a. 

The Lesson Story 

God had spoken the words of the law—the Ten Com¬ 
mandments^—to his people, the Jews, from Mount Sinai. 
Now he spoke again to Moses and commanded that a place 
where he could be worshiped might be built. He told ex¬ 
actly how this place of worship, the tabernacle, and all its 
furnishings should be constructed. 

The tabernacle was a tent church. It was in the form of a 
parallelogram, 45 feet long and 15 feet broad. The back 
and the two sides were made of boards, each 15 feet high 
and 2% feet wide. They were overlaid with gold, set on 
end, and held in place by silver sockets, two to each plank. 
There were cross pieces of wood which held these upright 
planks together. In all there were twenty planks on each 
side of the tabernacle, six at the back, and two at the corners. 

The front of the tabernacle, which was placed to face the 
east, was open. It had five pillars, covered with gold, and 
set in sockets of brass. These pillars supported a curtain. 

The inside of the tabernacle was divided by a curtain into 
two rooms. The room at the back of the tabernacle was a 
cube, measuring 15 feet in every direction. This room was 
called the Holy of Holies. The front part of the tabernacle 
was 30 feet long by 15 high and 15 wide. It was called the 
Holy Place. 

The tabernacle was covered with hangings. The ceiling 
and walls were covered with a curtain of fine twisted linen, 


289 


290 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


white, blue, purple, and scarlet. The outside covering was 
made of curtains of goats’ hair. Over this was a double 
roof made of red-dyed rams’ skins and possibly the skins of 
porpoises. Besides these curtains, there were two veils, or 
curtains. One of these separated the Holy Place from the 
Holy of Holies. The other was at the main entrance of the 
tabernacle. 



The tabernacle stood in a courtyard which was also a par¬ 
allelogram. This was surrounded by a fence, and had its 
entrance gate toward the east. 

The tabernacle and all its fittings were made so that they 
might easily be moved, for it was to be a tent church, which 
could easily be taken with the Children of Israel when they 
journeyed through the wilderness. There God was to talk 




JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


291 


with his people, and they were to talk with him. Aaron was 
made high priest, and his sons were to follow him in this 
office. When the people were to travel, the Levites, or de¬ 
scendants of Levi, took down the tent church. When they 
were to rest, they set it up again. Over it the pillar of cloud 
rested by day, changing to a pillar of fire at night. 

God’s people were to use the tabernacle for his worship 
during many years. It was replaced for them only when 
Solomon built the Temple. 

Handwork 

Plan to build a model of the tabernacle during the next few 
weeks. First mark out a part of the sand table 45 inches 
long by 15 inches wide. (Use an inch in measuring your 
model, wherever the lesson says that the dimensions were 
feet.) Then make 48 “boards” of cardboard. Each of 
these should be 1 5 inches long, and 2j4 inches wide. Cover 
them with gilt paper, and pretend that they are the boards 
of which the tabernacle was built. Groove wooden blocks 
so that the planking will stand upright in the grooves, and 
make them silver with aluminum paint. Make two blocks 
to hold each board. Then set up the tabernacle, six boards 
at the back, twenty on each side. Your tabernacle, you see, 
will be 20x254 or 45 inches long; it will he 6x2j4 inches, 
or a little less than 15 inches wide. The rest of the space 
was filled up by the corner boards. 

For the curtains and veils to be used in the tabernacle you 
may use tissue paper instead of linen, and wrapping paper, 
painted to imitate fekins, for the outside covering. Next 
week we will make the furnishings of the tabernacle. 

Notebook Work 

In your notebook make a drawing of the plan of the taber¬ 
nacle, such as that given with this lesson. For this week put 
in only the general outline. Then copy the dimensions and 
some of the facts about the tabernacle, underneath your 
drawing of it. 

Expressional Activity 

A cubit was the measure of distance among the Jews. It 
was the length of the forearm, from the elbow to the end 


292 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

of the middle finger, and was about 18 inches. Measure 
your own forearm and then, in some open space, measure 
the size of the real tabernacle. 

Memory Work 

Learn the words of Exodus 35:4, 5a, b: “ And Moses 
spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, say¬ 
ing, This is the thing which Jehovah commanded, saying, 
Take ye from among you an offering unto Jehovah; who¬ 
soever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, Jehovah’s 
offering.” 

SUNDAY SESSION 

THE FURNISHINGS OF THE TABERNACLE 
Exodus 25:10-40; 27:1-8 
The Memory Verse 

“ And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, 
and every one whom his spirit made willing, and brought 
Jehovah’s offering, for the work of the tent of meeting, and 
for all the service thereof, and for the holy garments.”— 
Exodus 35 :21. 


The Lesson Story 

While the work on the tabernacle itself was being done by 
some of the Children of Israel, others were preparing the 



furnishings. Of these, first of all, was the Ark of the Cov¬ 
enant, the little chest which had been made especially to 




















JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


293 


contain the tables of stone on which was written the law 
that God had given to Moses. 

The Ark was only a small chest, 2 l / 2 cubits (3j4 feet) 
long, and 1J4 cubits (2)4 feet) wide and deep. It was made 
of acacia wood, covered with pure gold. There was a rim 
of gold at the top, and on each side, at the bottom, there 
were two golden rings. Through these were put poles of 
acacia wood, covered with gold, and by means of these, the 
priests could carry the Ark. The Ark was covered with a 
lid of solid gold, which was called “ the mercy seat.” On 
this cover there were two golden cherubim, or angels, who 
spread their wings over the mercy seat. The Ark was the 



most sacred object in the tabernacle, and the most precious 
possession of the Children of Israel. It was kept in the 
Holy of Holies. 

In the Holy Place of the tabernacle, there were three 
objects. 

1. The Seven-Branched Candlestick. This was the only 
light in the Holy Place. It was of solid gold, and weighed 
about fifty pounds. 

2. The Table of Shewbread. This stood opposite the 
golden candlestick. It was made of wood, and gold plated. 
It was three feet long, eighteen inches broad, and twenty- 
seven inches high. On it were placed the golden dishes used 






















294 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


in the tabernacle services, and the twelve loaves of unleav¬ 
ened bread, called “ showbread,” which were set continually 
in the Holy Place. Each Sabbath the loaves were changed, 
and the old loaves were eaten by the priests. 

3. The Golden Altar of Incense. This stood just before 
the entrance of the Holy of Holies. Its top was eighteen 
inches square, and it was three feet high. 

These were the furnishings of the Holy Place of the 
tabernacle. 

In the outer court, where the people gathered, there was 
the altar of sacrifice, 7y 2 feet square, and the laver, or bronze 
urn, where those who entered the tabernacle cleansed them¬ 
selves before they took up their sacred duties. All these 
furnishings of the tabernacle, as well as the tabernacle itself, 
were made according to directions given by God. They were 
made by the most skillful workmen among the Israelites, of 
the most perfect materials that they could obtain. The 
people gave their best gifts of material and work to Jehovah, 
who had brought them out of “ the land of Egypt, out of the 
house of bondage.” 

Putting the; Llsson Into the; Life; of the; Class 

God gave to the Children of Israel the Ark of the Cov¬ 
enant, or as it was also> called, the Ark of the Testimony, in 
which were kept the laws that he had given to them—the 
Ten Commandments. He has given to us his Word, the 
Bible, which tells us what he wants us to do. We should 
keep his laws, and care for his Book as the Israelites cared 
for the Ark of the Covenant. 

God told the Children of Israel to make a golden candle¬ 
stick, to lighten the darkness of the tabernacle. Jesus has 
told us that those who follow him are the light of the world, 
and that we should let our light shine before men. 

The tabernacle contained a laver, where those who wor¬ 
shiped God purified themselves. We should try to keep our¬ 
selves free from sin, as God wants us to be. 

The tabernacle also contained the altars where the sacri¬ 
fices to God were made. God’s followers to-day should 
offer to him their hearts full of love, and the desire to live 
for him. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


295 


The; Lesson Truth in Your Lite 

God wanted his people of the past to live the kind of lives 
that he would approve. He commanded them to make a 
tent church where they might worship him, and talk to him. 
He wants us, too, to go to church, and to worship him there. 


An Account oe the Tabernacle, erom an Oud Writer 

oe History 

The old historian, Flavius Josephus, who lived in the 
years a. d. 37-95, and who wrote a most interesting history 
of the Jews, gives the following account of the tabernacle: 

The Israelites rejoiced at what they had seen and heard 
of their conductor (Moses), and were not wanting in dili¬ 
gence according to their ability; but they brought silver, and 
gold, and brass, and of the best sorts of wood, and such as 
would not at all decay by putrefaction; camel’s hair, also, 
and sheepskins, some of them dyed of a blue color and some 
of a scarlet; some brought the flowers for the purple color, 
and others for white; with wool dyed by the flowers afore¬ 
mentioned ; and fine linen and precious stones, which those 
that used costly ornaments set in ouches of gold; they 
brought also a great quantity of spices ; for of these materials 
did Moses bui’d the tabernacle. . . . Now when these things 
were brought together with great diligence, for everyone was 
eager to further the Work, even beyond their ability, he set 
architects over the work, and this by the command of God. 
. . . Now the people went on with what they had undertaken 
with so great alacrity that Moses was obliged to restrain 
them, by making proclamation, that what had been brought 
was sufficient, as the artificers informed him. So> they fell 
to work upon the building of the tabernacle. Moses also in¬ 
formed them, according to the direction of God, both what 
the measures were to be, and its largeness; and how many 
vessels it ought to contain for the use of the sacrifices. The 
women also were ambitious to do their parts, about the gar¬ 
ments of the priests, and about other things that would be 
wanted in this work, both for ornament, and for the divine 
service itself. 

—“ Antiquities,” Book III, Chapter VI, Section 1. 


296 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

GIFTS FOR GOD’S USE 
II Corinthians 9:6, 7 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

As we read and studied about the building of the taber¬ 
nacle, we learned that the people brought their gifts will¬ 
ingly, to help in the building of God’s house. All of them 
were glad to give what they had, of gold, or of jewels, or 
of skins, or of cloth. They felt that all these things really 
belonged to God, and that they were giving to him only what 
belonged to him. We, too, should give as the Israelites gave. 
God has given us everything that we have, and we should 
give to him gladly and willingly those things that are needed 
to carry on his work in the world, remembering that as we 
give to others in his name, we are giving to him, and return¬ 
ing thanks to him for what he has done for us. We are his 
stewards—that is, all that we have is really his, which he 
has given to us to use for him and for his work. And 
though we are only Juniors, we can show that we know this, 
and can try to use his gifts to us as he would have us use 
them. Let us ask for his help in trying to carry out our 
part of the work of the world for him. 

The Ceass Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, though we are only Juniors, we 
can be thy stewards, and do our share of thy work in the 
world. Help us to do well our part in thy work. We ask 
this in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

I Corinthians 9:17; Colossians 1:25; I Corinthians 4:1; 
I Peter 4:10; II Corinthians 9:7; Romans 12:8; Luke 6:38; 
John 3:16; Deuteronomy 16:17; I Corinthians 16:2; Prov¬ 
erbs 3 :9. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ We Give Thee But Thine Own.” 

“ Every Blessing, Heavenly Father.” 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


297 


“ Jesus to Thee, Our Offering.” 

" Little Children, Come and Bring.” 

“ Here We Come with Gladness.” 

“ Grant Us Hearts, Dear Lord, to Yield Thee.” 

“ O Lord of Heaven and Earth and Sea.” 

“ Lord, Thou Lovest the Cheerful Giver.” 

“ We Are Marching Through the Desert.” 

“ Brightly Gleams Our Banner.” 

“ Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. How did the Children of Israel show in the wilderness 
that they felt that all their good things were God’s gifts 
to them ? 

2. Name some of the things which they gave in helping to 
build the tabernacle. 

3. How can Juniors help in God’s work? 

4. Have you, or have the members of your school, ever 
given anything to help in making the church more beautiful? 

5. Can our school help in doing this? 

6. What part of your money and your time do you give 
to help along in God’s work? 

7. How can you be God’s steward? 

• 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Tabernacle in the Wilderness. 

2. Helping to Build the Tabernacle. 

3. God’s Stewards. 

4. How Juniors May Be God’s Stewards. 

5. Helping to Do God’s Work. 

6. What Share of My Time and My Money I Should 
Give to God. 


To Read in the Lesson Hour 

“ There is no true alms which the hand can hold; 
He gives nothing but worthless gold 
Who gives from a sense of duty. 

But he who gives but a slender mite, 


298 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


And gives to that which is out of sight, 

The thread of the all-sustaining beauty 
Which runs through all and doth all unite, 

The hand cannot grasp the whole of his alms.” 

Lord of all creation, now before thy throne, 

We thy people bring thee gifts that are thine own. 
Thine is all the greatness, power and glory thine, 
High o’er all exalted, majesty divine. 

Of thine own we offer, 

Of thy gifts we give. 

Unto thee, O Father, 

In whose life all live. 


All the gold and silver, corn on plains and hills, 
Grass upon the mountains, water in the rills— 

All things yield thee glory; with thy light they shine; 
Thou all art inspirest, science, skill are thine. 


Body, soul, and spirit, thought and speech and song 
Come of thee, Creator, and to thee belong. 

These in bounden duty, we devote to thee; 

Thine is all the power; thine the glory be. 

—S. Childs Clarke. 


CHAPTER XXX 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE REPORT OF THE SPIES 
Numbers 12:16 to 14:10 
The: Memory Verse: 

“ Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well 
able to overcome it.”—Numbers 13:30b. 

The Lesson Story 

For about a year the Children of Israel remained at 
Mount Sinai, where they had received the law, and where 
they had built the tabernacle as God had directed. Then, in 
the second month of the second year after they had left 
Egypt, Numbers 10:11, they left Mount Sinai, and, led by 
the pillar of cloud and fire, moved into the Wilderness of 
Paran. 

The tabernacle had been taken down. The men whom 
God had directed to carry the Ark—the Levites—carried it 
forward, to the head of the line. Then one tribe after 
another fell into place- as Moses commanded, and the great 
host moved forward. 

For three days they advanced. Then they halted at a place 
named Taberah. Here the people again complained because 
they had grown tired of the manna which God had sent 
them for food. And it was shortly after this that God again 
sent them quails to eat. Again they moved forward and en¬ 
camped in the Wilderness of Paran. They were getting 
closer and closer to the land which God had promised to 
Abraham. 

Once more God spoke to Moses. “ Select twelve men,” 
he commanded, “ who shall go into the land of Canaan to 
explore it. There shall be one man from every tribe of the 
Israelites.” God wanted the people to know the kind of land 


299 



300 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


which he had promised to them, so that they would be eager 
and happy to come into it. 

Moses did as God commanded. He appointed twelve men, 
one from each tribe. He told them how they were to enter 
Canaan, by the south, and into the hill country. They were 
to find out what sort of people lived in the land and what 
kind of land it was—whether there were cities; and what 
kind of fruits and grains it produced. 

The men set out. Probably they did not all go together, 
for such a large party would have attracted attention. Per¬ 
haps they went in groups of two or three, seeming to be 
Egyptians traveling through the land. After forty days they 
came back. They had been from one end of the land to the 
other. They reported that the land was a rich land—a land 
flowing with milk and honey. They brought back with them 
pomegranates and figs and a great cluster of grapes, from 
the valley of Eshcol. so large that two men carried it on a 
staff between them. But—they said that the land was in¬ 
habited by giants; that there were strongly fortified cities; 
that the people were very powerful. 

Then one of the spies, Caleb, spoke out. 

“ Let us go up at once and possess the land,” he said, “ for 
we are well able to overcome it.” 

“ No, no! ” cried the others. “ They are too strong for us. 
We cannot overcome them. There are giants in the land! 
We cannot fight against them! ” And all the people joined 
in crying out in terror: “ Why did we leave Egypt ? Why 
did we follow Moses and Aaron? ” They forgot all the good 
things that God had done for them. 

Caleb seems to have been at first the only one of the spies 
who trusted God. Then Joshua the son of Nun, who per¬ 
haps had just returned from his journey, joined him. 

“ We can take the land,” he said. “ It is an exceedingly 
good land. We can take it! If God wants us to have it, we 
can have it. He will give it to us! ” 

But the people would not listen to the two brave spies. 
They heard only the words of the ten cowards. So angry 
did they become that they wanted to stone Caleb and Joshua. 
Then once more God’s glory shone in the tabernacle. Caleb 
and Joshua were saved, but God knew that the people whom 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


301 


he had brought from Egypt were not yet ready to be an in¬ 
dependent nation who could rule in a land of their own. 


Handwork 

Continue your work on the tabernacle and its furnishings 
if you have not yet completed them. Then make on the 
sand table a scene representing the forward journey of the 
Children of Israel into the Wilderness of Paran. Particu- 
* larly show the Levites carrying the Ark. 

Notebook Work 

In your notebook write the names of the spies as you find 
them in Numbers, chapter 13. Then write something more 
about Caleb and Joshua. To what tribes did they belong? 
What were the names of their fathers ? 

Expressional Activity 

If mother or father or teacher asks you to do an errand 
this week do it gladly and as well as you are able to do it. 
Remember how Caleb and Joshua did the errand upon which 
Moses sent them, and do that which you are asked to do in 
a similar spirit. 


Memory Work 

Learn the words of the first three verses of the following 
poem: 

“ Thus far the Lord has led us on—in darkness and in day, 
Through all the varied stages of the narrow homeward way. 

Long since, he took the journey, he trod that path alone; 

Its trials and its dangers, full well himself hath known. 

Thus far the Lord hath led us—the promise has not failed, 

The enemy encountered oft has never quite prevailed : 

The shield of faith has turned aside or quenched each fiery dart; 
The Spirit’s sword in weakest hands has forced him to depart. 


“ Thus far the Lord hath led us—the waters have been high, 
But yet in passing through them, we felt that he was nigh. 

A very present Helper in trouble we have found, 

His comforts most abounded when our sorrows did abound.” 


302 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

SUNDAY SESSION 

THE PUNISHMENT OF THE ISRAELITES 

Numbers 14:11-38 
The: Memory Verse 

“ Jehovah is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkind¬ 
ness.’’—Numbers 14:18a. 

The Lesson Story 

God had led the people of Israel out from Egypt in a 
wonderful way. He had led them through the Red Sea. 
He had sent his pillar of cloud and fire before them and had 
given them the Ten Commandments to guide them in their 
lives. And yet, when the ten cowardly spies brought back a 
report that they thought there would be difficulties in con¬ 
quering the Promised Land they forgot all that God had 
done for them; they were afraid to undertake the conquest 
of the land, even with God’s help. Is it any wonder that 
God was angry? 

“ I will destroy these people,” God said to Moses. “I will 
make your descendants my chosen people, instead of these 
men and women who do not trust me.” 

But Moses loved the people of Israel. He prayed that God 
would not destroy them, and God heard his prayer. He 
knew, however, that the people were not ready to enter the 
Promised Land. They were still cowardly slaves. They 
had to be trained before they were able to rule themselves. 
And so God spoke. His words showed how the Israelites 
were to be punished. 

“ All that were numbered of you,” he said, “ according to 
your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, that 
have murmured against me, surely ye shall not come into the 
land, concerning which I sware that I would make you dwell 
therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the 
son of Nun.” 

And so it was that the people of Israel turned back again 
from the border of the Promised Land. For thirty-eight 
years more they wandered in the wilderness, going from 
place to place, instead of having an opportunity to build their 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


303 


homes and to raise crops of grain in their own fields, and to 
build cities in the beautiful land of Canaan which God had 
promised to Abraham and his descendants. God knew that 
they were not yet ready to enter the Promised Land. They 
needed more years of training in the wilderness school. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Liee oe the Class 

Our Memory Verse says, “ Jehovah is slow to anger, and 
abundant in lovingkindness.” Over and over again he had 
given to the people of Israel opportunities to see how they 
could trust in him. And yet they failed. We, too, sometimes 
forget what great things he has done for us, and show that 
we have not yet learned to trust him completely. We need 
never be afraid to go forward, even though the way seems 
hard, if we know that we are doing what God wants us to do. 

God knows that his people must be trained before they 
can do his work. When we are not ready, he sends us les¬ 
sons that will teach us to know him better. 

Caleb and Joshua had trusted God and were ready to 
enter the Promised Land. If we trust him, we shall be ready 
to do our work for him, too. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Liee 

If we trust God, we can go forward and in his name do 
things which seem very hard. But if we do not trust him, 
we must learn the lesson of trust, before we are ready to do 
his work. Let us go forward in his name and do his work 
in the world. 


A Story to Read 

“I just despise this French! And I want to go out to 
play baseball, too. I don’t care if I don’t pass! ” 

And John threw down his French book, and started for 
the door. 

“ Oh, come back, John! It isn’t so hard. I’ve finished my 
exercises and I’ll help you,” offered Walter. 

“ It’s easy enough for you. You like it,” John muttered. 
But he knew in his heart that this wasn’t the truth. He 
always learned his lessons in less time than Walter did, and 


304 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


he almost always got better marks. It was only lately that 
Walter had been pulling up to him, and he knew that it was 
because Walter studied and studied and studied. 

The two cousins were in the same class at school, and 
they were very good friends. Both adored their Uncle Tom, 
who lived in the city, and his visits to Watertown were rare 
treats to the boys. 

The very next day Uncle Tom came to Watertown on a 
flying trip. 

“ I’m starting for Europe very soon,” he said, “ and I 
want to take a boy with me. Which shall it be? Who knows 
the most French? ” Walter looked at John and John looked 
at Walter. Who did know the most ? 

“ Let’s pretend we’re there,” said Uncle Tom, and he 
asked a question, looking at John first. But John didn’t 
understand what he said. 

Uncle Tom turned to Walter and repeated his question. 
And Walter answered in French! Then he and Uncle Tom 
talked, and John listened without understanding one word. 
He knew then that he had lost his opportunity. He was not 
ready to go on the wonderful voyage to the wonderful land 
of France! 

“ You will have to wait until I go another year, John,” said 
Uncle Tom. “ Walter will get more out of the trip than you 
will because he learned his lessons and understands the 
language. When you can speak and understand French as 
well as he does, I will take you, too. Another year, John. 
Another year! ” 

And so John had to wait. Uncle Tom did not go abroad 
the next year, or the next. But when he did go, John was 
ready. He knew how to write and speak French. He could 
make the very best of the trip. 

That is the way it was with the Children of Israel. They 
had not learned the lesson of trust in God, and so they could 
not go into the Promised I,and. They had to be trained for 
many years in the wilderness school, before God took them 
again to the Promised Land which they might have reached 
so many years before, if they had learned their lesson. 


305 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

TRUSTING IN GOD’S PROMISES 
Psalm 91; 105 :38-45 

Suggestions tor the Leader’s Opening Address 

The Israelites in the wilderness did not trust in God’s 
promises. Though they had had so many proofs of his love 
and care, they did not believe that he could bring them into 
the land which he had promised to them. And so God did 
not let them enter Canaan at the time when they might have 
done so. For thirty-eight years more they had to wander 
in the desert, until they had learned the lesson of faith and 
trust. 

We Juniors of to-day, who live more than two thousand 
years after the days of Moses and the Children of Israel, 
have had many proofs of God’s love and care for us. We 
have even more proofs than they had, for we know how God 
sent into the world his Son, Jesus Christ, the greatest Proof 
of all of his love for us. Let us ask God to help us to trust 
in him and his promises for us and for all the people in the 
world. 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we know that thou art as ready to 
carry out thy promises to the children of to-day as thou wert 
to carry them out for the Children of Israel. Help us to 
trust thee fully, and to go forward, knowing that thou art 
with us in every way. We thank thee for the great Proof 
of thy love and care which thou hast given us in Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Verses eor Use in the Meeting 

Jeremiah 33:14; Matthew 24:35; Hebrews 10:23; 11:11; 
I John 2:25; Psalm 37:40; 91:1, 2; 144:2; 18:1; Deuter¬ 
onomy 1 :21; Romans 8 :31. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ Trust and Obey.” 

“ A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” 


306 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


“ God Will Take Care of You.” 

“ I Am' Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus.” 

“ The Lord’s Our Rock.” 

“ This Is My Father’s World.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. How did the Israelites in the wilderness show that 
they failed to trust God’s promises? 

2. What were the names of the faithful spies? 

3. What was their report about the nd of Canaan? 

4. In what way did God punish the Children of Israel 
for their lack of trust? 

5. How long did they wander in the wilderness 
altogether ? 

6. Do people to-day ever show that they fail to trust 
God’s promises? How? 

7. When a hard task is given you to do, how do you go 
about it? 

8. Is it braver to do a difficult thing when you are afraid 
to do it, or is it braver not to be afraid at all? 

9. How can we keep from being afraid? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Why the Children of Israel Were Cowards. 

2. God’s Promise to Joshua and Caleb. 

3. The Punishment of the Israelites. 

4. Trusting in God’s Promises To-Day. 

5. How Juniors Can Show That They Trust in God. 

6. How Our Nation Can Show Trust in God. 

To Read in the Meeting 

God’s punishment—the training of the Children of Israel 
in the wilderness—was given in kindness, as is the training 
which we all receive. 

We must be prepared before we can undertake life’s duties. 
If we try to obey God’s commands, and to do our best in 
the world, he will do his part in- fulfilling his promises. 

If ever men had the right to lose their courage, and give 
themselves up to dismal wasting, it was the first planters in 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


307 


our own New England. The shore was bleak and wild, the 
climate severe, the soils a meager, flinty inheritance. They 
had everything to create by their own patient industry out 
of lean and scanty harvests, and without a market, and yet 
they . . . conquered by stern effort and economy a con¬ 
tinually increasing wealth. Well and manfully it is proved 
what power there is in character and industry to conquer 
prosperity anywhere. And yet this people have done only 
what it was their duty to do. Had they failed they would 
have dishonored the principles they were called to illustrate, 
and God would have charged it as a crime against them.— 
Horace Bushnell. 

' If you stand on the mountain of faith and look down, 
things will seem easy to you; but if you are in the valley of 
doubt, they will look like giants.—M oody. 



CHAPTER XXXI 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

TROUBLES IN THE WILDERNESS 
Numbers 20:1 to 21:9 
The: Memory Verse 

“ Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble, 

And he delivered them.”—Psalm 107:6. 

The Lesson Story 

The Israelites, after refusing to go forward into the Prom¬ 
ised Land as God had wanted them to do, had pitched their 
camp at Kadesh-barnea. Here, though they did not know it, 
they were to have their headquarters for thirty-eight years. 
Here, toward the beginning of the period, Miriam, the sister 
of Moses and Aaron died. Here the Children of Israel really 
began to learn the lesson of what disobedience to God means. 

Nowadays, people do not know exactly where Kadesh is, 
but many men who have studied the geography of this part 
of the world, say that it is a place called A in Kadis—an ex¬ 
tensive, hill-encircled plain, several miles wide. From there 
the Israelites led out their flocks to find pasture; and from 
there they made several attempts to reach Palestine. But 
the kings of the surrounding nations forbade them to pass, 
and so, as they were too' cowardly to fight, and did not trust 
in God’s promises, they lived in the wilderness without set¬ 
tled homes until all the men and women who had come out 
of Egypt, with, the exception of Caleb and Joshua, were 
dead. 

You remember that before this time, the people of Israel 
had complained because they did not have the food and drink 
that they had had in Egypt. Now once more they com¬ 
plained because there was no water. Once more Moses and 
Aaron prayed to God for the people, and once more God 

308 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


309 


heard the prayer. He commanded Moses to assemble the 
Children, of Israel before a great, rocky formation. There 
Moses was to take his rod, and speak to the rock, before 
their eyes. 

Moses did as God commanded. He called the people to¬ 
gether. He spoke to them. But—he did not speak kindly, 
as he usually did. He spoke hastily. He did not mention 
God’s kindness and mercy to them as he had done so often 
before. He said, “ Shall we bring you forth water out of 
this rock ? ” Then he struck the rock. The water sprang 
forth as God had promised, and the people drank as much 
of it as they wanted. But God was grieved at the way in 
which Moses hac acted—at his impatience, and because he 
had not given honoi* to God. And so he told Moses that he 
must be punished. Moses was not to lead the people into 
the Promised Land. That honor was to go to some one else. 

One trouble after another came to the people of Israel in 
the wilderness. The king of Edom refused to let them go 
into his land. Aaron died and his son, Eleazar, took his 
place. The people complained once more against God, and 
he sent serpents to punish them. Again they repented their 
impatient Words. Again they asked Moses to help them, and 
at God’s command, he set up a brazen serpent which cured 
those who had been bitten by the serpents of the desert. 

So one ti uble after another came to the Children of 
Israel. They had failed to trust God. Now they must learn 
the lesson of trust by remaining in the wilderness for many 
years. They must be taught to believe in God’s promises 
to them. 


Handwork 

Continue the work on the tabernacle and its furnishings, 
if you have not yet completed this. 

Map Work 

Put on the blackboard a map of the Sinaitic Peninsula, and 
mark the way by which the Israelites traveled, copying the 
map given in Chapter XXVI. Put a small copy of the map 
in your notebook, also. 


310 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Expressionae Activity 

If you are tempted this week to be impatient because 
things do not go exactly as you want them to go, remember 
the difficulties of the Israelites and of Moses in the wilder¬ 
ness, and try to control your impatience. Say a quick prayer 
to God, and he will help you when everything seems to be 
going wrong. 

Memory Work 

Learn these verses of the Memory Poem, which you 
started last week: 

Thus far the Lord has led us—our need has been supplied, 

And mercy has encompassed us about on every side; 

Still falls the daily manna, the pure rock fountains flow 

And many flowers of love and hope along the wayside grow. 

Yes, “ they that know thy name, O Lord, shall put their trust in 
thee,” 

While nothing in themselves but sin and helplessness they see. 

The race thou hast appointed us with patience we can run, 

Thou wilt perform until the end the work thou hast begun. 

—Jank Borthwick. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

HOW GOD HONORED MOSES 

Numbers 27:15-20; Deuteronomy 32:48-52; chapter 34; 
Revelation 15:1-4. 


The Memory Verse 

“ He that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 

—I John 2:17b. 

The Lesson Story 

For thirty-eight years the Children of Israel encamped 
near Kadesh-barnea. They made various expeditions from 
this place, but it was there that the tabernacle was set up, 
and to it they returned from their wanderings in search of 
pasturage for their flocks and herds. 

At last, in the fortieth year after they had left Egypt, 
the pillar of cloud moved forward again. Once more the 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


311 


tabernacle was taken clown, and carried at the head of the 
line of the Israelites. They marched eastward to the south¬ 
ern end of the Dead Sea. Then they turned north into the 
land of Moah, and came to a broad space between the river 
Jordan and the mountains of Moah, about opposite the city 
of Jericho. Here they encamped upon the eastern hank of 
the river. And it was while the Israelites were in this place, 
that God’s last command came to Moses. 

The leader of the Israelites was an old man. One hun¬ 
dred and twenty years had passed since the time when the 
Princess Thermuthis had rescued the baby in the bulrush 
cradle. And yet the Bible tells us, Deuteronomy 34:7, “ His 
eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.” God knew, 
however, that the time had come to take him to the heavenly 
home. He spoke to his servant. 

“ Go up into Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, 
that is over against Jericho,” God said, “ and behold the land 
which I have given unto the Children of Israel. And when 
thou hast seen it, thou shalt he gathered unto thy people.” 

Then God commanded that Joshua, the son of Nun, should 
he appointed Moses’ successor as leader of the Israelites. 
And this was done. Joshua was made the leader of the 
people. Moses ascended the slopes of Mount Nebo, which 
is also called Pisgah; from there he could see far across the 
river and the mountains over the land which was to be the 
home of the people whom he had led for so many years— 
the land of Gilead, and Dan, and Naphtali, and Ephraim, 
and Manasseh; all the land of Judah, to the Mediterranean 
Sea; and the south, and the plain of Jericho, unto Zoar. 

Then, after the glorious vision of the land of Canaan, 
Moses died, and God buried him, there in the valley of 
Beth-peor of the land of Moah. And to this day, “ no man 
knoweth of his sepulchre.” Moses was a great leader, a great 
prophet, and a great man of God. And God honored him 
highly in taking him to himself, and burying him there after 
he had a wondrous vision of the land to which he had led 
his people. 

For thirty days, the Children of Israel mourned for their 
great leader, and then Joshua took the command. 1 hough 
Moses was gone, the people must still move forward. 


312 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Putting the: Lesson Into the Liee of the Class 

Moses, the great leader of the Israelites, had faults, just 
as you and I have, but he conquered those faults, and, though 
God punished him, he honored h : m highly. We, too, can 
conquer our faults. 

Moses was hot-tempered. He showed this when he was 
a young man, when he killed the Egyptian. Exodus 2:11-14. 

Moses was at first unwilling to obey God’s command to go 
before Pharaoh. Exodus 3:11. He objected to the direc¬ 
tions which God gave to him. He as self-willed. 

Moses could be impatient, as he showed when he struck 
the rock at Meribah. Numbers 20:10. And for this fault, 
he was punished by not being allowed to enter the Promised 
Land. 

Yet we know that Moses conquered those faults in himself. 
We forget that he was impatient, and self-willed, and hot- 
tempered naturally, and often we use his name in describing 
a person who is just the opposite to this, for we say “ as 
meek as ' loses.” Yet Mo-ses was not really meek. He had 
only learned to conquer himself so well that his faults have 
been forgotten. We, too, can conquer om faults, if we work 
and pray as Moses did. Then God will feel that we, too, are 
worthy of the honor of going to be with him in the heavenly 
home, when we have finished our work for him in the world. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

Moses conquered his faults by prayer and faith in God. 
I, too, can conquer my faults in the same way. 

A Poem to Read with the Lesson 

By Nebo’s lonely mountain, 

On this side Jordan’s wave, 

In a vale in the land of Moab 
There lies a lonely grave. 

And no man knows that sepulcher, 

And no man saw it e’er, 

For the angels of God upturned the sod 
And laid the dead man there. 

That was the grandest funeral 
That ever passed on earth; 

But no man heard the trampling, 

Or saw the train go forth— 



Harold Copping. 


Copyrighted by Harold Copping. 

MOSES ON MOUNT NEBO. 









JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 313 

Noiselessly as the daylight 

Comes back when night is done, 

And the crimson streak on ocean’s cheek 
Grows into the great sun. 


This was the truest warrior 
That ever buckled sword, 

This the most gifted poet 
That ever breathed a word; 

And never earth’s philosopher 
Traced with his golden pen, 

On the deathless page, truths half so sage 
As he wrote down for men. 

And had he not high honor, 

The hillside for a pall, 

To lie in state while angels wait 
With stars for tapers tall, 

And the dark rock pines like tossing plumes 
Over his bier to wave, 

And God’s own hand in that lonely land 
To lay him in the grave? 


O lonely grave in Moab’s land! 

O dark Beth-peor’s hill! 

Speak to these curious hearts of ours, 

And teach them to be still. 

God hath his mysteries of grace, 

Ways that we cannot tell; 

He hides them deep, like the hidden sleep 
Of him he loved so well. 

—Cecil Frances Alexander. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

LEARNING THE LESSON OF TRUST 
Matthew 6:28-34 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

Moses had learned the lesson of trusting in God’s prom¬ 
ises. He knew that God would do as he had promised the 
Israelites, if they would only trust in him. In the New 
Testament, too, Jesus taught his followers a lesson of trust. 
In the Sermon on the Mount he tells us that God will pro- 



314 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


vide for us all things that we need. He cares for us, and 
for every little thing about us. “ Are not five sparrows sold 
for two pence?” he asks; and again, “Consider the lilies, 
how they grow.” God cares for the birds and flowers. He 
cares for us, too. Moses knew this truth, and we, too, know 
it, for we have Jesus teaching and the teaching of all the 
men and women in the Bible, and of all the men and wgmen 
since Bible days, who have learned the lesson that God is 
faithful in keeping his promises. Let us thank God that we 
have learned in his Word, the Bible, and through those who 
have gone before us, how we may trust in him, and in his 
plans for us. 


The; Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we thank thee that we know from 
the Bible and from the witnessing of many men and women 
how we can trust in thy promises. We pray that we may 
learn the lesson of trust in thee and love for thee. For Jesus’ 
sake. Amen. 


Verses lor Use; in the Meeting 

Psalm 2:12; 4:5; 17:7; 56:4; 73:28; Proverbs 30:5; 
Daniel 3:16, 17, 28; II Samuel 22:3. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

The same hymns that were used in connection with the 
Expressional Session of Chapter XXX. 

Questions eor Use in the Meeting 

1. Where did the Children of Israel encamp for thirty- 
eight years ? 

2. What attempts did they make to reach the Promised 
Land ? 

3. What troubles did they undergo in the wilderness ? 

4. Where did Moses die? 

5. Where was Moses buried? 

6. How did God fulfill his promises to Moses? 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 315 

7. How can Juniors show that they trust in God’s 
promises ? 

8. How can you show that you trust in God’s promises? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Kadesh-Barnea. 

2. The Brazen Serpent. 

3. Balaam and Balak. 

4. Mount Nebo, or Pisgah. 

5. The Burial of Moses. 

6. Why Moses Did Not Enter the Promised Land. 

7. Modern Examples of Trust in God’s Promises. 

8. How God’s Promises Have Been Fulfilled for Me. 

To Read in the Meeting 

Some of you who spend your summers at the shore have 
probably seen a United States Life-Saving Station, with its 
big boat resting on its truck, all ready to be run down to the 
water. Perhaps you’ve seen the men launch it for a drill, or 
in a storm while the huge breakers were rolling up the beach. 
On the campus of Northwestern University, which is right 
on the shore of Lake Michigan, there is just such a station. 
The members of the crew are always students of the univer¬ 
sity, but the master is an experienced seaman. For many 
years the master was a tall, gaunt Norwegian, with a flowing 
beard. He had come to this country when he was a young 
fellow, and had tried to make his living as a fisherman along 
the shore of Lake Michigan. He was very poor at first. 
Sometimes he did not know where the next meal was to come 
from. But he always trusted the Lord. 

People finally discovered that he was a very skillful boat¬ 
man, and he was made master of the life-saving station. 
Under his leadership the crew rescued hundreds of lives and 
thousands of dollars’ worth of property. In one wreck they 
made three trips through a terrible surf, to the disabled ves¬ 
sel, and brought every person—and there were twenty or 
more—safe ashore. 

But at what cost to captain and crew! The waves dashed 
continually over the boat} threatening to capsize it any mo- 


316 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


ment and throw them all into the icy water. One wave came 
over the stern with such violence that the captain, who was 
standing at the steering oar, was thrown full length in the 
boat. The men’s soaked clothing froze to them, and their 
mittens froze to the oars. It was no wonder that one man 
was taken down with rheumatic fever and was in the hospital 
six weeks. 

The people who lived along the shore were so' impressed 
with the bravery of this rescue that they held a banquet in 
honor of the captain and his crew. After various speeches 
had been made, describing what the crew had done, the cap¬ 
tain was called on. This is what he said: 

“ Yes, it was a hard job, but the Lord helped us. We 
have faced difficult situations like this many times. More 
than once I have said to myself : ‘ We can’t do' it! It is im¬ 
possible ! ’ But it was our duty to go^ ahead and leave the 
results to the Lord. We’ve done our best, and the Lord has 
helped us. We have never lost a member of the crew and I 
believe that it is all due to the Lord.” 

A gentleman who was interested in the captain’s simple 
faith happened to meet him soon afterwards walking along 
the shore of the lake. “ Well, captain,” he said, “ so you 
believe that the Lord takes care of you and your crew, 
do you ? ” 

“ Yes,” said the captain, “ the Lord takes care of anyone 
who is doing his duty. If I come to a river and it’s my duty 
to try to get across, I must get right into the water and do 
the best I can to get over.” 

“ But suppose, captain, you should get drowned trying to 
get over ? ” 

“ Well, that’s all right, too ! ” said the captain. 

—Adapted from an account by Georgl A. CoK. 


STORIES OF THE CONQUEST OF CANAAN 







' CHAPTER XXXII 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE PLACES OF THE LESSON 

Deuteronomy 8 :7- 9; 3 :29; 4:46; 1:2, 3 ; Numbers 13 :27; 
14:8; 32:49; 33:49, 50; 35:1. 

The Memory Verse 

“If Jehovah delight in us, then he will bring us into this 
land, and give it unto us; a land which floweth with milk 
and honey.”—Numbers 14:8. 

The Lesson Story 

The Children of Israel were almost at the end of the forty 
years of wandering in the wilderness. They had pitched 
their camp in the land of Moab, across the river Jordan 
from the land of Canaan, which God had promised to Abra¬ 
ham for his inheritance. 

Moab. Moab was the country east of the Jordan River, 
and was bounded on the west by the Dead Sea. It is a roll¬ 
ing plateau, about thirty-two* hundred feet above the level of 
the sea, and there are very steep cliffs along the shores. It 
was in “ the plain of Moab,” that the Israelites were en¬ 
camped at the time of the lesson. They remained there at 
Shittim, which is also called “ Abel-Shittim,”—“ the meadow 
of acacias,”—for several months. There many important 
events happened. 

Shittim is situated on actable-land, the upper of three ter¬ 
races, which here form the valley of the Jordan. The table¬ 
land extends for a distance of more than three miles, and is 
covered with groves of acacia trees. There Joshua was pub¬ 
licly appointed to be the successor of Moses. There Moses 
delivered his farewell address to the people whom he had 
led so long, and the camp there was broken up only when 

319 


320 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

the Israelites were led across the river Jordan into the Prom¬ 
ised Land. 

The Jordan River. The Jordan River is one of the 
strangest rivers in the world. It is not a large stream, if you 
compare it with the Mississippi or with the Amazon, but it 



is one of the most important rivers in the history of the 
world. Its name—the Jordan—means “ the descender,” and 
it is called this because, between its source in a cave in 
Banias and its end at the Dead Sea, it drops almost twenty- 
three hundred feet. It is so winding that in going a distance 






JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


321 


of sixty miles as the crow flies, it covers at least two hun¬ 
dred miles. The current is very swift, and the water very 
muddy. The Jordan Valley is exceedingly hot from the 
early spring to the late autumn. Sometimes the temperature 
reaches 118 degrees. 

Along the Jordan River, many great events happened. 
There, in Old Testament days, at the command of Elisha, 
Naaman was cured of his leprosy by bathing in the muddy 
waters of the stream. There, in New Testament days, John 
the Baptist baptized Jesus. And we shall find in our lessons 
about Joshua and the conquest of Canaan that it was the 
scene of one of the most important happenings in the story 
of how the Children of Israel reached the Promised Land. 

Jericho. Jericho, “the city of palm trees,” is to-day a 
wretched little village, but in the days of Joshua it was an 
important and strongly fortified, walled city, just across the 
Jordan River from the place where the Israelites were en¬ 
camped at Shittim. It was the first place to which they 
would come in Palestine. 

Later on, Jericho was destroyed, but it was later rebuilt, 
and in New Testament times, Herod restored and beautified 
it, and built a royal residence and a circus there. 

Handwork 

Make on the sand table a relief map of the Jordan River 
valley. Refer back to the map facing page 78 of the Second 
Year, Part 1 of these lessons, and work out the scene of the 
stories of our next lessons. 

You may also like to build a model of the city of Jericho. 
Set off a section at one end of the sand table. Surround it 
by walls of “mud” (sand) and “brick” (small blocks of 
wood), from which the city walls of those days were built. 
Make palm trees of green tissue paper and of bits of wood, 
and set them up to show that Jericho was the “ city of palm 
trees.” 


Map Work and Notebook Work 

Draw in your notebook a map of the Jordan valley, put¬ 
ting in the camp of the Israelites at Shittim, and the city of 
Jericho on the opposite side of the river. 


322 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Expressionae Activity 

During the week try to find in newspapers and magazines 
any pictures and stories of the places mentioned in these 
lessons. Bring these to class to show and read next week. 

Memory Work 

Learn the words which Moses said to the Children of 
Israel just before his death: “ Be strong and of good cour¬ 
age, fear not, nor be affrighted at them: for Jehovah thy 
God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor 
forsake thee.”—Deuteronomy 31:6. 

SUNDAY SESSION 

JOSHUA APPOINTED LEADER OF ISRAEL 
Numbers 27:15-23; Joshua, chapter 1 
The Memory Verse 

“ Have not I commanded thee ? Be strong and of good 
courage; be not affrighted, neither be thou dismayed: for 
Jehovah thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”— 
Joshua 1:9. 

The Lesson Story 

God had told Moses that Joshua was to follow him as the 
leader of the Israelites, and Moses had appointed him for¬ 
mally. Deuteronomy 31:7. After the days of mourning for 
Moses were past, God spoke to Joshua, as he had so often 
before spoken to Moses. 

“ Moses my servant is dead,” he said. “ Now therefore 
arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the 
land which I do give to them. Thou shalt be their leader, 
and always thou shalt conquer thy enemies, if thou obeyest 
my commands. Remember the hook of the law which I 
have given to the people. Meditate on it day and night, so 
that thou mayest do all that is written there. So shall the 
people of Israel have good success.” 

Then God told Joshua more of the land, and urged him 
again as Moses had urged him and the people to be strong 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


323 


and of good courage. Over and over again God used these 
words. Over and over he told Joshua to be brave, and to 
trust in his promises. Perhaps Joshua was afraid of the 
task of leading the people, as Moses had been before him. 
But God’s words gave him courage. Never do we hear that 
he failed to trust in God’s promises. Always he was ready 
and willing to do God’s commands, as he was on the day 
thirty-eight years before when he, with Caleb, had brought 
back to the Israelites the good report of Canaan, and had 
urged the people to go forward to take the land which God 
had promised to them. 

Joshua was a born leader. He did things systematically. 
His first step was to call together the officers of the people. 
He commanded them to go among the tribes and to tell them 
to prepare food, for, he said, within three days, they should 
go into the land which God had promised that he would give 
them. He arranged about the people who' were to remain 
in the place where they were then encamped. He arranged 
about the men who were to lead the line of march. 

And the people showed that they had learned the lesson of 
the wilderness school. They did not complain as they had 
complained to Moses. They agreed to what Joshua had 
said. “ All that thou hast commanded us we will do, and 
whithersoever thou' sendest us we will go,” they said. Then 
they promised that whoever disobeyed the words of Joshua 
would be punished by death, and again they repeated the 
words of the lesson which they seem to have learned so well: 
“ Be strong and of good courage.” 

God’s people were ready now to enter the Promised Land. 
They were no longer a race of slaves as they had been when 
they left Egypt, but a race of independent people. The 
younger men and women who had grown up in the wilder¬ 
ness had forgotten the glories of Egypt, as well as the 
troubles which their fathers had suffered there. They were 
thinking of the new land, and not of the land from which 
their fathers and mothers had come, to receive God’s prom¬ 
ised blessing. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Lite oe the Class 

Moses died, but his work went on, as God’s work always 


324 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


does go on. God always sends new leaders to take the places 
of those whom he takes to the heavenly home. On the 
monument of John and Charles Wesley, who are buried in 
Westminster Abbey, are these words: “ God buries the 
worker, but carries on the work.” 

Others shall sing the song, 

Others shall right the wrong— 

Finish what I begin, 

And all I fail to win. 

What matters I or they, 

Mine or another’s day, 

So the right word be said, 

And life the sweeter made. 

—Whittier. 

God encouraged Joshua to do his work as he had encour¬ 
aged Moses. He will help all of us who are working for 
him, to be strong and very courageous if we trust him and 
his promises. 

The Children of Israel had learned the lesson of the wil¬ 
derness wanderings. Now they were ready to trust God’s 
promise to them, and to do as he commanded them tO' do, 
through Joshua. We, too, should trust God, and do those 
things that he wants us to do. And the sooner we learn the 
lesson, the better it will be for us. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Liee 

If I do these things that God wants me to do, bravely and 
courageously, trusting in his promises, he will help me in all 
those things that I try to do. 

A Story to Read 

There is a story told of General Sherman, who, during the 
Civil War, made the victorious march through Georgia from 
Atlanta to the sea, which shows how he was prepared for his 
victory in Georgia as Joshua was prepared long before for 
his journey into the Promised Land. Joshua had explored 
the land thirty-eight years before as a spy. General Sher¬ 
man, in his college days, had spent a summer vacation in 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


325 


Georgia. While his friends and companions were wasting 
their time, he tramped over the hills and made a careful ex¬ 
amination of the country. He even made a map of the dis¬ 
trict. Years passed and the Civil War came. He was • 
ordered to march upon Atlanta, and the knowledge that he 
had gained when he was a college boy, on a summer vaca¬ 
tion, helped him, so that he won the victory. Success is just 
using every opportunity to get knowledge, which you can use 
when a time of need comes. God will help you to win vic¬ 
tories if you help him, and go on. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

STRONG IN THE LORD 
Ephesians 6:10, 11, 13-18 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

Always in the Bible, in the Old Testament and the New 
Testament, we are told to be strong and brave. Then, if we 
are doing those things which God wants us to do, if we are 
trying to do our very best for him, he will help us. “ Je¬ 
hovah, the Lord, is my strength,” the Bible tells us. He will 
give us strength. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, tells 
the people to whom he writes, “ Be strong.” Then he tells 
them of the armor which they can put on, as they gird their 
loins with truth—the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes 
of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of sal¬ 
vation, the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 
Joshua, though he lived more than ; thousand years before 
Paul, had all this armor. Let us pray that we, who live 
almost two thousand years later than Paul, may have it, too. 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, grant us that we may be strong and 
very courageous. Grant that we, too, may wear the whole 
armor of God, of which Paul wrote tO 1 the Ephesians, that 
we may be able to do thy work as Joshua did, and as Paul 
did. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. 



326 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

I Samuel 3:9a; I Chronicles 28:10; II Chronicles 15:7; 
Isaiah 33:4; Daniel 11:32; Habakkuk 3:19; I Corinthians 
* 16:13; II Corinthians 12:9; Zechariah 12:5. 


Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.” 

“ Stand, Soldier of the Cross.” 

“ Soldiers of Christ, Arise.” 

“ Onward, Christian Soldiers.” 


Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Was Joshua as brave as Moses in beginning his work 
for God? 

2. What was God’s message to Joshua? What is his 
message for us to-day? 

3. What was Paul’s message to the Ephesians? What 
message for us who live to-day is there in his words? 


Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Joshua and Moses. 

2. Compare Paul’s Message to the Ephesians and God’s 
Words to Joshua. 

3. Being Brave in God’s Work To-Day. 

4. The Bravery of Missionaries. 

5. How Juniors Can Be Brave for God. 

6. How I Can Be Brave This Week. 

To Read in the Meeting 

One command that God gave to Joshua was that he should 
meditate on his law day and night, and not depart from it. 
So Paul told the people to whom he wrote to use the sword 
of the Spirit, that is, God’s Word. We, too, can find strength 
and courage if we use God’s Word, and go regularly to his 
house. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


327 


When the President of the United States takes the oath of 
office, he presses his lips to the Bible. He kisses a particular 
passage which he himself chooses. President Cleveland 
chose Psalm 91:12-16; President Wilson chose Psalm 
119:37-48. 

“ The regular service at the coronation of the king of 
England has parts that are taken from God’s speech to 
Joshua: The principal act at the coronation is, of course, the 
crowning, and the spiritual aspect of this is impressed on 
the king in the prayer which immediately follows the act of 
placing the crown on the sovereign’s head: ‘ Be strong and 
of good courage; observe the Commandments of God and 
walk in his holy ways. Fight the good fight of faith; 
and lay hold on eternal life; that in this world you may be 
crowned with success and honor; and when you have fin¬ 
ished your course, receive a crown of righteousness, which 
God the righteous Judge shall give you in that day.’ 

“ Every boy and girl, and every man and woman ought to 
enter into full life crowned with such pledge and such 
consecration.” 


Be strong! 

We are not here to play, to dream, to drift, 
We have hard work to do, and loads to lift. 
Shun not the struggle, face it; ’tis God’s gift. 


Be strong! 

It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong, 

How hard the battle goes, the day, how long; 

Faint not, fight on! To-morrow comes the song. 

—Mai/tbie D. Babcock. 


Behold! the Christian warrior stands 
In all the armor of his God, 

The Spirit’s sword is in his hand, 
His feet are with the gospel shod. 


In panoply of truth complete, 

Salvation’s helmet on his head; 

With righteousness a breastplate meet 
And faith’s broad shield before him spread. 


328 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Undaunted to the field he goes, 

Yet vain were skill and valor there, 
Unless to foil his legion foes 
He takes the trusted weapon, prayer. 


Thus, strong in his Redeemer’s strength, 

Sin, death, and hell he tramples down; 

Fights the good fight, and wins at length, 

Through mercy, an immortal crown. 

—James Montgomery. 




CHAPTER XXXIII 
RAHAB AND THE SPIES 
Joshua, chapter 2 
The: Memory Verses 

“ Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his 
might.’’—Ephesians 6:10. 

“ Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be 
strong.”—I Corinthians 16:13. 

The Lesson Story 

Joshua remembered how Moses had sent Caleb and him¬ 
self and the ten other spies into the land of Canaan, to see 
what sort of land it was, and to find out something about 
the country. So his first step, after calling the people to¬ 
gether was to' send out from the camp two men who were to 
find out all that they could about the city of Jericho. 

Secretly the two men entered the city. They explored it. 
They found lodging for the night at the home of a woman 
named Rahab, who lived in a house built so close to the wall 
that the Bible says, “ Her house was upon the side of the 
wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.” Perhaps the two men 
selected this house on purpose. At any rate, its position 
served them a good turn. 

In some way, the king of Jericho’ heard of their coming. 
He sent his soldiers to' seek for them in Rahab’s house, but 
Rahab had been warned of their coming and hidden them on 
the flat roof of her house, under the stalks of flax which she 
was drying there, to make into linen later on. 

The king’s men looked for the two men of Israel; when 
they did not find them they went through all the city hunting* 
for them. They shut the gates of the city. 

When Rahab knew that the king’s men had given up the 
search for the two Israelites in her house, she went to them. 


329 


330 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


She told them that she had heard in some way of the true 
God, and of the miracles that he had done for the Israelites 
in opening up a passage before them through the Red Sea, 
and in other ways. She believed that their God would help 



them to conquer Jericho. She asked, in return for what she 
had done for them, that they should save her life and the 
lives of the various members of her family, when they en¬ 
tered the city. 

And so it was arranged. She was to mark her home with 















JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


331 


a line of scarlet thread in the window. She and all her 
family were to stay in the house, and that house and its 
people would be safe from attack when the Children of 
Israel entered Jericho. 

Then Rahab let the two men down over the wall by a cord, 
through one of the windows of the house. Secretly they 
slipped off into the mountains. For three days they hid, 
until the men from Jericho, who were pursuing them, gave 
up the search. Then they crossed over the Jordan and re¬ 
turned in safety to Joshua. They reported to him their suc¬ 
cess: “Truly Jehovah hath delivered into our hands all the 
land; and moreover all the inhabitants of the land do melt 
away before us.” 


Handwork 

Build a house on the wall of your sand-table model of 
Jericho, such as that in which you think Rahab may have 
lived. It should have a flat roof, and a window over the 
wall. Put upon the roof some grasses which will represent 
the flax stalks, and put a scarlet “ rope” from the window 
over the wall. 


• Notebook Work 

Write the story of the two spies in your own words. As a 
decoration make a drawing of the house on the wall. Then 
find in the New Testament, Acts 9:22-25, a story of another 
escape over a wall and write something like this, filling in 
the blanks: 

From Jericho, two spies sent out by Joshua escaped be¬ 
cause Rahab let them down through a window of her house 

which was built on the wall. From-, - 

escaped through a window of a house built on a wall because 
his-let him down in a-. 

Expressionar Activity 

Try to help some one this week, who needs help in getting 
out of a difficulty. Perhaps one of your classmates in school 
needs help in a lesson that he cannot get, and you can show 
him where his trouble is. Perhaps you can direct some one 







332 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


who does not know the way to the place where he wants 
to go. There are many ways that you can find to help 
others, if you keep your eyes open. 

Memory Work 

If you do not already know the names of the first five 
books of the Bible, from which most of our lessons this year 
have been taken, learn them. These five books are called 
“ The Pentateuch,” a Greek word which means “ consisting 
of five books.” The five books are also called “ The 
Law.” They are: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, 
and Deuteronomy. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE ISRAELITES CROSSING THE JORDAN 

Joshua, chapter 3 
The Memory Verse 

“ When thou passest through the waters, I will be with 
thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.”— 
Isaiah 43 :2. 


The Lesson Story 

The news which the spies brought spread through the 
camp. “ The people of Jericho have heard about us,” it was 
whispered. “ There is no more spirit among them, because 
they have heard of the things that God has done for us. 
They are afraid.” The people were ready now to believe the 
good report of the two brave spies, as they had not been 
ready to believe the good report of Caleb and Joshua, thirty- 
eight years before. They were ready to do exactly as God 
commanded them to do. 

And it must have required a great deal of faith and trust 
to do this. There lay the Jordan River before them—a 
rushing, mighty stream, perhaps a mile wide, and of great 
depth. This was the month of Nisan, or Abib, which cor¬ 
responds with our April, the first month of the Jewish year, 
and in that month the snows in the mountains melted, and 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


333 


the little streams and brooks, rushing down the slopes in 
torrents, filled the Jordan bed to overflowing, -so that, instead 
of being a narrow stream thirty feet across, which could be 
waded, it became in the spring flood a wide river, very diffi¬ 
cult to cross. Look at the picture and you will see something 
of the way in which the Jordan is situated. The width of 
the stream at most times of the year was from thirty feet to 
ninety feet, opposite Jericho being usually the smaller figure. 
The figures “ 300 feet to mile,” indicate the width of the 
river at the time of the spring flood, when these banks were 
overflowed. The situation of the mountains, the camp of 
the Israelites, and of Jericho, is shown in a way that you can 
understand. 

It seemed as if the Children of Israel were about to at¬ 
tempt an impossible thing. But their faith and trust in God 



were complete. They were ready now to do what he com¬ 
manded them to do, through Joshua, the leader whom he had 
appointed. 

Early in the morning, Joshua summoned the people. They 
went out from the camp at Shittim, down to the bank of the 
river. For three days they remained there. Then officers 
went through the camp. 

“ When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your 
God, and the priests the Levites bearing it,” they said, “ then 
ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.” 

The officers gave further commands. The people were to 
remain two thousand cubits (three thousand feet) behind the 
Ark, but they were to follow it. They were to sanctify 
themselves, so as to be ready for that which was to happen 
to them. 

Then, when everything was ready, God spoke to Joshua. 

















334 


UNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Once more lie encouraged his brave follower, and gave him 
a wonderful promise: “ This day will I begin to magnify thee 
in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was 
with Moses, so I will be with thee.” Then God told Joshua 
exactly what to do, and Joshua passed on the word to the 
people. 

Don’t you think that it required faith in God for the 
priests to do as Joshua told them to do? Don’t you think 
that it required faith for the people to follow them? But they 
did! The priests took up the Ark. They went down to the 
edge of the river. They stepped into the water. And as the 
people, over half a mile away, watched, a miracle happened, 
as great as the miracle at the Red Sea, for the waters of the 
Jordan piled up, up, up, in a great heap, far up the stream at 
Adam, a place perhaps eighteen miles away, while the waters 
below flowed silently on, down to the Dead Sea. And in¬ 
stead of the rushing, yellow Jordan, there was dry land for 
the people to pass over. The priests stood in the middle of 
the river bed, bearing the Ark, and the people crossed over, 
with their wives, their children, their animals, their equip¬ 
ment. Soon all were safe on the other side. The nation of 
Israel, because of its trust in God, had at last come into the 
Promised Land! 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life oe the Ceass 

If we trust in God and obey his commands, many of our 
difficulties will vanish. 

Sometimes we think that there are difficulties in our way 
when we are trying to do God’s will. To the Israelites the 
waters of the Jordan at flood tide seemed a great barrier. 
But they did as God commanded, and when it was time for 
them to meet the difficulty, God had removed it. He will 
help us in a similar way. 

God cares in very wonderful ways for those who do just 
exactly as he commands. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

I will trust in God and try to do< those things that he wants 
me to do, even although this seems hard. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


335 


A View of Jericho 

It is the morning time, and the sun has mounted not very 
far above the eastern horizon. The prevailing tints of the 
sky are blue blended with amber. The mountain range of 
Moab is in shadow, and stands up in violet gray against the 
sky. At its foot is the northern end of the Dead Sea, catch¬ 
ing the sunlight and glistening in a silver sheet. On this 
side of the salt water is a long strip of desert land with 
reddish hues. Then conies the broad belt of sylvan verdure, 
which girdles Jericho as with a zone of emeralds. In front 
of this, and near to the foreground, though still much below 
the eye, are the fountain reservoirs, the chief of which is a 
small sheet of water in which the sky is mirrored. From 
these the principal water channels are seen wandering in 
bright streaks among the overshadowing woods.— Sir Rich¬ 
ard Temple. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

HOW OUR NATION SHOWS ITS TRUST IN GOD 
Psalm 33:12 ; Proverbs 14:34; Joshua 24:14, 15 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

During the forty years’ wandering in the Avilderness, the 
people of Israel had learned the lesson of trust in God. 
They went down to the Jordan with absolute faith that God 
would open a way before them to cross it. They had abso¬ 
lute faith that God would do as he had promised. These 
men and women who crossed the broad Atlantic Ocean to 
settle a new land and to found a new nation in America had 
absolute faith in God, too. The Pilgrim Fathers, the Puri¬ 
tans, the Quakers, the Huguenots, all came to our land in 
order to find a home where they might worship God in the 
way that seemed right to them, trusting that God would help 
those who depended on him. Our country was settled by 
-those who trusted God. When we became an independent 
country, those who fought for liberty and conscience trusted 
in God. Our nation is founded on faith.and. trust in him. 
And it will prosper only as it believes in him and trusts 



336 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


him. Only as individual men and women and boys and girls 
believe in him and in bis promises will our nation be blessed. 
Let us ask God that we may do our share in making the 
nation bis nation. 


The: Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we want our country, which we 
love so much, to be a God-fearing, God-trusting nation. 
Teach us that the nation will be full of faith and trust in 
thee only as the people in it are full of faith and trust 
in thee. Help us, ourselves, to believe in thy promise and to 
do as thou wouldest have us do. So shall we help our nation. 
In Jesus’ name we ask. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

1 Peter 2:9, 10; Psalm 147:20; 67:3; 79:13; 1:1; 84:5; 
89:15. 


Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ God of Our Fathers by Whose bland.” 

“ God of Our Fathers, Bless This Land.” 

“ Our Father’s God, to Thee We Raise.” 

“ God of Our Father, Whose Almighty Hand.” 

“ O Lord Our God, Thy Mighty Hand.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. On almost all our coins—pennies, dimes, quarters, half 
dollars, dollars—we find a motto. What is this motto? 
What does it show about our nation ? 

2. How can a Junior citizen of the United States help 
the nation to be a Christian nation ? 

3. How can I show that I am a Christian Junior? 

4. Tell some ways in which our land shows that it is a 
Christian land. 

5. Tell some ways in which the United States differs 
from Turkey. 

6. Is there any difference in the way in which children 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


337 


are treated in our country and in China or in Japan? Tell 
about some of these. 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Settlement of America. 

2. How Those Who Founded Our Nation Trusted God. 

3. The Duties of a Citizen. 

4. Junior Citizens. 

5. Is Our Nation Becoming More or Less Christian? 

6. How Juniors Can Help to Make It More Christian. 


To Read in the Meeting 

On some of the coins of the United States we read the 
words, “ In God we trust.” And we have this motto because 
the men who founded our nation trusted in God’s promise. 

Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah.” 

Our nation will remain a nation that trusts in God only 
as its people—you, and you, and you—in the Junior Depart¬ 
ments of the Sunday schools of the land, trust in him. Will 
you do your part to make the nation Christian ? 

The breaking waves dashed high, 

On a stern and rock-bound coast, 

And the woods against a stormy sky 
Their giant branches tossed; 

And the heavy night hung dark, 

The hills and waters o’er, 

Then a band of exiles moved their bark 
On the wild New England shore. 


Not as a conqueror comes, 

They, the true-hearted came; 

Not with the roll of the stirring drums, 
And the trumpet that sings of fame; 


Not as the flying come, 

In silence and in fear; 

They shook the depths of the desert gloom 
With their hymns of lofty cheer. 


338 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Amidst the storm they sang, 

And the stars heard, and the sea; 

And the winding aisles of the dim words rang 
To the anthem of the free. 

• ••«•• 

What might they thus afar? 

Bright jewels of the mine? 

The wealth of seas, the spoils of war? 

They sought a faith’s pure shrine! 

Ay, call it holy ground, 

The soil where first they trod; 

They have left unstained what there they found— 
Freedom to worship God. 


—Felicia Hemans. 


CHAPTER XXXIV 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

IN THE PROMISED LAND 
Joshua, chapter 4; 5:10-15 

The: Memory Verses 

“ When Israel went forth out of Egypt, 

The house of Jacob from a people of strange language; 

Judah became his sanctuary, 

Israel his dominion. 

The sea saw it, and fled; 

The Jordan was driven back.”—Psalm 114:1-3. 

The Lesson Story 

The Children of Israel were in the land which God had 
promised them! They had passed over the dry bed of the 
Jordan, to the country which was to be their possession for 
hundreds of years.- The priests who carried the Ark of the 
Covenant still stood in the midst of the river bed. They 
were waiting for Joshua to tell them to come to the shore. 

But Joshua, at God’s direction, gave another command 
first. He selected twelve men, one from each of the tribes. 
He told these men to go down into the river bed and select 
twelve stones. They were to 1 put these stones on their 
shoulders and to carry them to the place where they were 
to camp that night. The stones were to be a memorial, which 
would remind the people of Israel how God had saved them 
at the river Jordan. Joshua also commanded that there 
should be twelve stones set up in the midst of the Jordan, 
where the priests who bore the Ark had stood, while the 
people crossed over the bed of the river. 

All these things were done as God commanded. Then 
Joshua told the priests to come up out of the river bed. 
They moved forward; they stepped up on the bank of the 


339 


340 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 












JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


341 


river. And then the people saw a wonderful sight. The 
waters of the river were loosed again. They came back into 
their place. Once more the Jordan was a rushing, yellow 
stream, as it had been a few hours before. But God’s people 
were safe on the western side of the stream. Not one of 
them was harmed. 

That night, the tenth of the first month, Nisan, or Abib, 
they encamped at Gilgal. The people of the land were so 
amazed at what had happened that they did not oppose the 
Israelites. For four days they remained in camp, and on the 
fourteenth day of the month they celebrated the passover— 
the second time that they had held it since they left Egypt. 
And the day after the passover they ate the grain of the 
land. From that time on, God ceased to send manna. The 
people were in the Promised Land. They could provide food 
for themselves. God had sent them food and water during 
the forty years of wandering in the wilderness. He had 
opened the way before them in a marvelous fashion. He 
was going to do wonderful things for them in the future, 
for they were his people and he was their God, but after 
this they were to provide food and drink for themselves from 
the fruit and grain of the land which he had given them. 

Once more God' gave to Joshua a proof of his watchful 
care over him and the people of Israel, for as Joshua looked 
toward Jericho, a man stood by him, with a drawn sword in 
his hand. Joshua proved his courage. He went to the man 
and asked if he were for the Israelites or for their enemies. 
The man spoke. “ I am the captain of the host of Jehovah,” 
he said. And then he gave to God’s brave follower further 
commands about what he should do. 

So, with courage high, knowing that God himself was their 
Leader and Guide, the Israelites began their conquest of the 
land which God had promised them. 

Handwork 

Picture on the sand table the crossing of the Jordan. Put 
a pile of twelve pebbles to represent the stones in the river 
bed where the priests stood, and another pile of twelve peb¬ 
bles on the shore at Gilgal. Make your model of the river 
bed like the picture on page 333. 


342 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Notebook Work 

Write the story of the lesson in your own words, in your 
notebook. 


Expressionae Activity 

During the week look over the dramatization given for the 
Sunday Session, and be prepared to do your part in it. 

Memory Work 

Learn the remaining words of Psalm 114, which speaks of 
the miracle at the Red Sea and at the Jordan. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE SIEGE OF JERICHO 

Joshua, chapter 6 
The Memory Verse 

“ Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may 
be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, 
to stand.”—Ephesians 6:13. 

The Lesson Story 
the eaee oe jericho 
(An exercise to use for this lesson.) 

Scene I 

Peace. Inside the city of Jericho. Two of the citizens, 
Jabin and Jobab, enter. 

Jabin. What meaneth the action of these foreigners in our 
land ? What is this strange thing that they are doing ? 
Jobab. They are mad! They are mad, Neighbor Jabin! 
For six days now they have marched silently around the 
walls of our city, carrying the golden box, the god they 
worship. 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


343 


























































344 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Jabin. What is it that they think they do, I wonder ? They 
have many men, and yet they make no attack. Thinkest 
thou that our army should go out and smite them ? 
Thinkest thou, Jobab, that there is some trick in this, 
which our ruler does not understand? 

Jobab. No, no! They are too weak to do us any harm! 
Our city walls are high ; our gates are strong. There is 
no danger here, neighbor. 

Jabin. And yet methinks it would be well for the king to 
question Rahab. For six days now, she and her mother 
and her father and her brothers and her sisters have 
kept themselves straitly shut up in their house. Mark 
you, Jobab, it was she who was suspected of helping 
those two foreign spies. And there is a scarlet cord 
hanging from her window. I fear that there is some¬ 
thing strange to come. (Goes off shaking his head.) 

Scene II 

The evening of the same day. Outside the city walls. 

Joshua addresses the people of Israel. 

Joshua. To-morrow is the holy Sabbath Day, and Jehovah 
hath commanded us to march around the city as we have 
done before. -But instead of marching around the city 
once, we must march seven times. Start early in the 
morning, all ye people of Israel. The Lord will do 
great things for you. First shall march the seven 
priests, bearing the Ark of God, each carrying a trumpet 
made of a ram’s horn. Then shall come the men of 
war, and then the priests bearing the Ark of God. Last 
shall come the people. Seven times shall ye march 
around the city. Do as I command you. 


Scene III 

The seventh day. Procession passes across the platform, 
people in the order given by Joshua, silently. At the seventh 
time, the priests blow their trumpets. 

Joshua. Shout, ye people, shout, for the Lord hath given 
you the city. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


345 


One of the; Procession (pointing). See! See! Our 
soldiers advance into the city! The walls fall! Our 
foes are terrified. They flee. Truly the Lord hath 
given us the victory. Our enemies are conquered. Only 
Rahab and her family are spared. We have been vic¬ 
torious in the name of the Lord Jehovah our God. 
Joshua. Come together, O ye people of the true God. 
Once more have we conquered in his name. Sing ye 
to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously. The 
Lord is our Strength and Song, and he has become our 
Salvation. He shall reign forever and ever. (Class 
sings “ We March, We March to Victory,” at the con¬ 
clusion, passing from the stage.) 

Putting the; Lesson Into the Life of the Class 

God gives the victory to those who trust in him to-day, 
just as he gave it to those who trusted in him three thousand 
years ago. 

The Bible tells us, “ All things are possible to him that 
believeth.” The Israelites found this to be true, and so 
shall we. 

Did you ever have a difficult task to do 1 that seemed im¬ 
possible? Then did you say a quick prayer and go ahead, 
trusting in God, though you did not know exactly what you 
should do next? If you did, you were like the Israelites. 

There is perhaps a boy or a girl in your class with whom 
it seems that you cannot make friends. He never is pleasant 
when you make advances, and it seems that he doesn’t want 
to be friendly. What should you do in such a case? If you 
are always kind and pleasant, you will find some day that 
you have conquered his unpleasantness. Keep on trying, 
and God will help you to win the battle. 

Have you a hard lesson to do? Don’t give up! Go over 
it and over it again—five times, six times, as the Israelites 
went around Jericho. Perhaps you will find, the seventh 
time, that you have won the victory and understand the hard 
problem or the difficult explanation. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

Wear the “ whole armor of God,” and you will find that 
God will help you in your battles. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

A Polm to Read with the: Le;sson 

Around the walls of Jericho 
The Israelitish army go. 

With steady tramp, their spears in hand, 

They follow out the Lord’s command. 

Six days, six journeys now are past, 

The sun has risen upon the last. 

Thus early start they on their way; 

Seven rounds must be fulfilled to-day. 

Within the walls of Jericho 
In stern indifference wait the foe. 

What care they for these haggard men 
Who have commenced their march again? 

Outside the walls of Jericho 
Steadily on the warriors go. 

Six of the rounds already past, 

And they have now commenced the last. 

Throughout these ranks no sound was heard, 

No merry jest, no cheering word. 

There rises up no other sound 

Than the steady footbeat on the ground. 

Now suddenly they turn about, 

And with one voice the people shout. 

Down fall the walls of Jericho, 

The heathen’s power lieth low. 

Low lie the walls of Jericho 

And through her halls her foemen go. 

Thus did firm faith in God’s commands 
Prove weightier than human hands. 

Thus did the strong right arm of God 
Scatter the heathen hosts abroad. 

—Selected from “Jericho,” a poem by Frank Foxcroft. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 347 

EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

GOD GIVEN VICTORY 
I John 5 :4, 5 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

God gave the victory over Jericho to the people of Israel. 
He has given to our nation, too, many victories in time of 
war. He has given to us as individuals many victories over 
ourselves and over difficulties that seemed impossible to con¬ 
quer. To the people of Jericho it probably seemed foolish 
for the Israelites to carry the Ark of the Covenant around 
the walls of the city for seven days. But Joshua and the 
Israelites knew that they were doing as God had commanded 
them to do. Just so leaders and men who fight in any cause 
which they know is just, are sure that God will give to them 
the victory. Washington, as he prayed at Valley Forge, 
knew that God was with him. So the Crusaders felt, as 
they went out to fight the Turks in the Holy Land. So we 
should feel as we fight with the Tempter who is trying to 
lead us into sin. Let us ask God to send us the victory as he 
sent it to the people of Israel. Because they trusted in him, 
and did as he commanded, they won the city of Jericho by 
a miracle instead of by a battle. 


The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we ask thy help in the many battles 
that we have to fight. Particularly we ask thy help in fight¬ 
ing with the temptation that is within ourselves. Help us to 
trust in thee and to do thy will, as the people of Israel did 
at Jericho, even though we do not understand. We ask this 
in Jesus’ name. Amen. 


Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Matthew 4:4; 6:13; II Samuel 23:10, 12; I Chronicles 
29:11; II Chronicles 20:12, 17; 14:11, 12; Psalm 98:1; 
Proverbs 21:32; Isaiah 43:12; I Corinthians 15:57. 


348 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Hymns that May Be: Used in Connection 
with the: Meeting 

“ Onward, Christian Soldiers.” 

“ Forward ! Be Our Watchword.” 

“ Lead On, O King Eternal.” 

“ Fight the Good Fight.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. What was the first act of the Israelites in the Prom¬ 
ised Land? 

2. How do Christians show God that they are thankful 
for what he has done for them ? 

3. How do modern missionaries win victories? 

4. How does God help us to win victories over ourselves ? 

5. Where did the people of Jericho put their trust? the 
people of Israel? Which were wiser? 

6. Where should we put our trust? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Coming Into the Promised Land. 

2. The Victory Without Weapons. 

3. The Way the People of Jericho Felt. 

4. Some Victories Which God Has Given in Modern 
Times. 

5. The Great Chinese Wall. How Christians Have Made 
Their Way Past It. 

6. The Victories of the Modern Missionary. 

7. The Victories of Peace. 

8. Victories Over Difficulties. 

9. Victories Over Self. 

To Read in the Meeting 

Jesus in the wilderness won the victory over the Tempter. 
One of the weapons which he used in this struggle was his 
knowledge of God’s Word—the sword of the Spirit. We, 
too, can use the Bible as a weapon in our struggles with the 
Tempter. 

The Great Chinese Wall is higher and stronger than the 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


349 


walls of Jericho, and yet God’s followers are winning their 
way past it by peaceful methods. He has given them the 
victory. 

There was an old writer named John Bunyan who lived 
in the seventeenth century. He wrote a book called “ The 
Holy War.” In it there is a city called “ Mansoul,”—the 
soul of man. Around this city are thick walls of selfishness, 
deceit, lying, aM all kinds of sin. So strong is the wall that 
it seems as if it could never be broken down. But Jesus 
came, as the Leader of the forces of good. He caused the 
walls to fall, and so the city of evil became the city of God. 
So the forces of evil are fighting for your heart. God will 
give you the victory if you trust in him. 


CHAPTER XXXV 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

DEFEAT AND VICTORY AT AI 
Joshua 7:1 to 8:28 
The: Memory Ve:rses 

“ Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, 
and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and hav¬ 
ing shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of 
peace.”—Ephesians 6:14, 15. 

The: Lksson Story 

Silently one of the men of Israel stole through the streets 
of Jericho. He was carrying something that he was trying 
to hide. He slipped into his tent and there he buried what 
he had carried—a great weight of silver and a wedge of 
gold, and an embroidered Babylonian robe. Secretly he 
covered them over. He thought that no one knew what he 
had done. 

Now Joshua had told the Israelites that all the treasure 
of Jericho was to be given to the Lord. They were to keep 
none of the spoil for themselves. But Achan the Zerahite, 
of the tribe of Judah, had disobeyed. He had taken some of 
the treasure for himself, and no one knew it! 

Jericho was conquered. Joshua and his men were to go 
farther into the land of Canaan, and the next place to attack 
was the town of Ai, near Bethel. It was not a large place, for 
it had only twelve thousand inhabitants. As he had done be¬ 
fore Joshua sent out spies to see what the plans of the city 
were. They came back in fine spirits. They felt that the 
city could be taken by a small force of three thousand men. 
But—instead of victory, there was defeat! The Israelites 
fled before the men of Ai, and some of them were killed. 

350 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 351 

The people were terrified! It seemed that God was no 
longer with them. What had happened ? They did not know. 

Joshua did the wisest thing. Lie asked God for help. He 
fell on his face before God. And God told him what had 
happened. “ Israel hath sinned,” he said. “ Some one has 



taken of the things which were devoted to my service. Find 
out who it was and punish the offender.” 

Early in the morning Joshua called the people together. 
He told them what had happened. Lots were cash as was 
done in those days, to decide who was guilty of the sin. The 
tribe of Judah was “ taken,” which means that in some way 



















































352 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


God pointed out that the guilty man was a member of this 
tribe. Then lots were cast among the families of Judah and 
the family of the Zerahites was pointed out. And then at 
last, the lot pointed to Achan! And of course he confessed 
what he had done. He told where he had hidden the treas¬ 
ure and Joshua sent messengers, who found it. 

So Achan was punished. He was stoned to death for his 
sin, and a great heap of stones was placed over his grave. 

But the people of Israel, now that the crime against God 
was found out and punished, advanced once more against 
the city of Ai. Because they had obeyed God, this time they 
won the victory. The city was conquered and burned to the 
ground. God gave the victory to his people once more, be¬ 
cause they had been obedient to him. 

Handwork 

Make a poster of a Canaanitish city, such as those which 
the Israelites were conquering at this time. Use the picture 
given on this page as a model to copy. Make the stones of 
the walls gray, the sky blue, and the trees green. Remember 
that in these days there were no guns, no gun-powder, and 
so the city walls were not so strong as the walls of cities in 
later times. Nowadays, with the great guns that have been 
invented, walls are no protection, but in Joshua’s day, they 
served to protect the people from attack. 

Map Work 

Put in your notebook map of Palestine the city of Ai. It 
is not known exactly where it was, but it was not far from 
Bethel where Jacob had had the vision of the ladder to 
heaven. 


Notebook Work 

Write the heading, “ The Second Victory of the Israelites 
in the Promised Land.” Then tell the story of defeat and 
of victory. 


Expressional Activity 

John was selected to play on the high-school football team. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


353 


He was a big, husky boy, but soon his team mates discov¬ 
ered that he had a bad habit; he smoked cigarettes. The 
coach warned him. He promised not to smoke again, hut 
he did not keep his promise. And when the day of the big 
game came, the team lost because John’s breath gave out 
and he failed in making the long run that would have won 
the game. 

John’s self-will was like Achan’s self-will. Both of them 
did wrong and so injured other people. Achan’s sin brought 
defeat to the Israelites; John’s bad habit brought defeat to 
his team. Do you ever realize that the things which you do 
will affect other people? Stop this week, when you are 
about to be selfish, or self-willed, or self-indulgent, and think 
whether or not other people will be harmed by what you are 
doing. 


Memory Work 

The Jewish year was divided into twelve months, as our 
year is. But instead of beginning in January, as our year 
does, it began in April, the month of the passover, which 
was called Abib or Nisan. Below you will find the names of 
the months of the Jewish year. Learn the names of the first 
six of these and with what they correspond in our year. 


The: Je:wish Y^ar 


Month. 

Approxi¬ 

mation. 

Season. 

1. Abib or Nisan 

April. 

Latter or spring rains. 

Flax harvest at Jericho (Josh. 
2: 6). 

Jordan at flood (Josh. 3:15; 1 Chron. 
i2: 15). 

Barley harvest in the maritime plain. 
Wheat ripe in hot Jordan valley. 
Pods on the carob tree. 

Dry season begins, continuing to 
early October, with prevailing 
wind from the northwest. 

2. Ziv or Iyar. 

May. 

Barley harvest in uplands. 

Wheat harvest in lowlands. 











354 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

The Jewish Year.— Continued. 


Month. 

Approxi¬ 

mation. 

Season. 

3. Sivan. 

June. 

Apples on sea coast. 

Early figs general. 

Oleander in bloom. 

Almonds ripe. 

Intense heat. 

4. Tammuz. 

July. 

Wheat harvest in high mountains. 
First grapes ripe. 

5. Ab. 

August. 

Olives in lowlands. 

Dates and summer figs. 

6. Elul. 

September. 

Vintage general. 

7. Ethanim or 

October. 


Tishri. 


Pomegranates ripe. 

Season changing to the winter or 
rainy season, with prevailing wind 
from west and southwest. 

Former or early rains. 

Pistachio nuts ripe. 

Plowing. 

8. Bui or Mar- 
cheshvan. 

November. 

Barley and wheat sown. 

Olives gathered in northern Galilee. 
Winter figs on trees. 

9. Chislev. 

December. 

Rainfall increases (compare Ezra 10:9, 
13). 

10. Tebeth. 

January. 

Hail; snow on higher hills and occa¬ 
sionally at Jerusalem. 

In lowlands grain fields and pas¬ 
tures green, wild flowers abun¬ 
dant. 

11. Shebat. 

February. 

Almond trees in blossom. 
Appearance of young fruit, or 
rather blossom, of the fig. 

Carob tree in blossom. 

12. Adar. 

March. 

Oranges and lemons ripe in the 
lowlands. Storax blossoming 

and pomegranates showing their 
first flowers. 

Barley harvest at Jericho. 


—Adapted from Davis’ Dictionary of the Bible. 













JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 355 

SUNDAY SESSION 

THE PUNISHMENT OF THE GIBEONITES 

Joshua, chapter 9 
The Memory Verse 

“ Withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall 
be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.”—Eph¬ 
esians 6:16. Review verses 13-15. 

The Lesson Story 

The news of the victory of the Israelites over the cities of 
Jericho and Ai spread among all the peoples of Canaan, and 
many cities joined together to fight against them. 

But the inhabitants of one city decided not to fight. These 
people were the Gibeonites—the people of Gibeon, a city not 
very far from Jericho and of several other smaller places. 
These men decided to deceive Joshua. They sent to the 
camp of the Israelites as ambassadors men dressed in old 
garments, with old, patched shoes. They took with them, 
on the backs of their asses, old sacks, which looked worn out, 
and as food they carried stale bread. All this was to prove 
that they had come from a long distance, instead of from a 
place near by. 

“We have come from a far country,” they said as they 
entered the camp. “ We want to make a covenant of peace 
with you.” 

“ Who are you, and from what place do you come? ” asked 
Joshua. 

“ From a far country,” they repeated. “ In our land we 
have heard of all the wonderful things that your God has 
done for you in Egypt. Our elders sent us to make peace 
with you, and to say that we are your servants.” You see, 
they pretended to live SO' far away that they had not heard 
of the later victories which God had given to his people! 

The Israelites believed the story. They forgot to ask God 
for counsel. They took presents from the Gibeonites ! They 
made a covenant or promise not to destroy their cities, 
though God had commanded them to destroy all the inhabi¬ 
tants of the land. 


356 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


But it was only three days afterwards that the Israelites 
found out their mistake. They came to the towns of the 
Gibeonites, and the people of these places demanded safety, 
because the Israelites had promised it! How sorry the people 
and their leaders were then that they had forgotten to ask 
God’s counsel. Now they must leave an enemy behind them, 
when they went farther into the land. But they kept their 
word. They did not destroy these Gibeonites as they had 
destroyed other places. 

But the Gibeonites had to be punished in some way for 
their trickery. The leaders of Israel decided that they should 
always after that be “ hewers of wood and drawers of 
water ” for the Israelites. 

And this was done. The people of Israel spared their 
lives, and so kept their promise, hut the Gibeonites were 
punished, because they had tried to win safety by a trick. 
They learned a lesson which many others have learned since 
—that success won by a trick is never true success. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Liee oe the Class 

The people of Israel forgot to ask God’s counsel when 
they made a covenant with the Gibeonites. Do you ask 
God’s advice and help every morning and evening ? 

The people of Israel had made a promise, and they kept 
it even though it had been made because they were deceived. 
Do you keep promises which you have made, but find after¬ 
wards that it will be hard for you to keep? Are you always 
careful about the promises that you make? That is the way 
to keep out of difficulties. Do not make promises rashly. 
Then you will not be sorry when you have to keep your 
word. 


The Lesson Truth in Your Liee 

Be careful in making and keeping promises. Be careful 
not to promise what you cannot perform. But when you 
have made a promise, stick to your word. 

GibEon 

Six or seven miles south of Bethel, and about five north¬ 
west of Jerusalem, stood the city of Gibeon. . . . Gibeon, 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


357 


identified with the modern village El-Jib, is placed on an 
oblong ridge composed of limestone rock, rising, as it were, 
in steps out of the plain, in many places difficult of access, 
and capable of being everywhere very strongly fortified. Its 
position on the great highway from the seaboard into the in¬ 
terior, and commanding the chief pass over the mountain, 
has tended to maintain its existence and celebrity unto the 
present day. Immediately in front stretched a tract of fertile 
ground, producing not only abundant crops of grain, but 
likewise olives, grapes, figs, and other fruits. At this time 
it was a place of vast importance; it is described as ‘ a great 
city, as one of the royal cities, greater than Ai, and all the 
men thereof were mighty/ It was, in fact, the chief of 
four confederate cities occupied by Hivites, who were not 
governed by a king, but formed a kind of republic under 
certain elected elders.—Joshua, His Life and Times, by 
Deane:. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

THE FOOLISHNESS OF DECEIT 
. Proverbs 12:12-22 

Suggestions for the Leader’s Opening Address 

The Gibeonites thought that they were very wise when 
they deceived the Israelites. But instead, they were very 
foolish. They saved their lives, to be sure, but always they 
were the lowest class in the nation, hewers of wood and 
drawers of water for the people of Israel. Always their 
name has stood for cowardice and lies. Sometimes we 
people of to-day think as the Gibeonites thought. Some¬ 
times we, too, think that it would pay to cheat in a test in 
school; to lie one’s way out of a difficulty; to boast and ex¬ 
aggerate about how many things we can do, or how many 
things we have. But the person who lies loses his own self- 
respect; he loses the respect of his neighbor.. He never 
gains anything worth having in the end. “ Lying lips are 
an abomination to Jehovah,” the Bible tells us; and “ a lying 
tongue is but for a moment.” Let us ask God to help us to 



358 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

gird our loins with truth, as our Memory Verses have told 
us to do. 


The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, show us how to keep our lips from 
lying, our actions from being deceitful, our hearts true. 
Help us always to see the truth and to live and speak it. 
We ask in the name of Jesus who said, “ I am the way, and 
the truth, and the life,” for we wish to follow him in every¬ 
thing. Amen. 

Verses lor Use in the Meeting 

Isaiah 28:15-17; Jeremiah 9:3-5; Ephesians 4:25; Zech- 
ariah 8:16; Proverbs 13:5; Psalms 34:13; 119:29; 120:2; 
I Peter 3:10; James 3:5, 6. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ Dare to Be Brave, Dare to Be True.” 

“ My Soul Be on Thy Guard.” 

“ Lead Us, O Father.” 

“ O Thou Whose Feet Have Climbed Life’s Hill.” 

“ Courage, Brother, Do Not Stumble.” 

“ Send Down Thy Truth, O God.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. How did Achan try to deceive Joshua? 

2. How did his plan succeed ? 

3. Were the Gibeonites wise or foolish in lying to deceive 
Joshua ? 

4. How did their plan succeed? 

5. What was wrong with the Israelites’ action in these 
cases? Joshua 7:11, 12; 9:14. 

6. Does it ever pay to try to get an advantage by cheat¬ 
ing? Give your reason for the answer. 

7. Does it pay to cheat in an examination? Why? 

8. Does it pay to lie if you have been tempted to sin and 
have yielded ? Why ? 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 359 

Topics lor Discussion or Reports 

1. Achan’s Sin. 

2. The Sin of the Gibeonites. 

3. Lying Oneself Out of Difficulties. 

4. Does Cheating in Examination Ever Pay? 

5. The Foolishness of Trying to Deceive Others. 

6. Truth-Telling and Self-Respect. 

To Read in the Mating 

“ Help me, O God, to speak 

True words to thee each day; 

True let my voice be when I praise, 

And trustful when I pray. 

“ Thy words are true to me, 

Let mine to thee be true; 

The speech of my whole heart and soul, 

However low and few.” 

“ An honest man is the noblest work of God.” 

“ The world needs honest boys and girls to grow up to be 
trustworthy men and women who do the world’s work.” 

“A trustworthy .child, whose word can be depended on, 
will tell things just as they are. He does not change them 
to help his own case when he is wrong.” 

Dare to be true; 

Nothing can need a lie. 

The fault that needs one most 
Grows two thereby. 


—George Herbert. 


CHAPTER XXXVI 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

JOSHUA’S BATTLE AGAINST FIVE KINGS 
Joshua 10:1 to 11:9, 23 

Tiie Memory Verse 

“ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the 
Spirit, which is the word of God.”—Ephesians 6:17. 

The Lesson Story 

When Joshua and the people of Israel went into the land 
of Canaan, it was divided into small, independent kingdoms; 
each one of these would have to be conquered before the 
people of God could have complete control over the Prom¬ 
ised Land. Five of these kings, under the leadership of the 
king of Jerusalem, joined together to fight against Joshua 
and his followers. Their first step was to attack the city of 
Gibeon, which they felt had been a traitor to their cause. 

The Gibeonites were terrified. Quickly they sent messen¬ 
gers to Joshua, who had withdrawn with his forces to Gilgal. 
They asked for help against the attack of the five kings. 

Joshua saw that he must go to their assistance. The Lord 
spoke to him once more, and told him not to fear, but to go 
forward bravely; he should conquer the enemy. 

You remember that before, when Joshua had gone with 
the men of Israel from Gilgal to Gibeon, it had taken three 
days. Joshua 9:16. But now, by a forced march of one 
night, they reached the attacked city and surprised the be¬ 
siegers. It was very early in the morning when they came 
upon the foe, encamped near Gibeon. At the west lay the 
high hill, at whose foot Gibeon lay. At the top of this hill 
was the little village of Upper Beth-horon; on the other side 
was Lower Beth-horon. 

The Israelites advanced on the Canaanitish kings, shout- 


360 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


361 











362 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


ing their terrible battle cry, “ God is mighty in battle: God is 
his name.” The enemy, surprised, fell into a panic, and fled 
up, up the long, rocky ascent to Upper Beth-horon. 

The Israelites pursued. The enemy passed the top of the 
•hill. They started the descent on the other side—down a 
“ rough, rocky, road, sometimes over the upturned edges of 
the limestone strata, sometimes over sheets of smooth rock, 
sometimes over loose, rectangular stones, sometimes over 
steps cut in the rock.” 

And it was while the Canaanites were fleeing down this 
perilous way that God showed once more that he was fight¬ 
ing for Israel. A great storm suddenly arose. Great hail¬ 
stones fell upon the terrified Canaanites, but the Israelites, 
following, were unharmed. The victory seemed complete. 
The Canaanites were routed, and Joshua and his men were 
conquerors. 

The day did not seem long enough to Joshua. He felt 
that night was coming too soon for him to complete the rout 
of his foes. He prayed to God once more and asked a 
miracle: 


“ Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; 

And thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon.” 

And in some way we do not understand, God granted 
Joshua’s request. The day was lengthened until the victory 
of God’s people was complete, and they had won once more 
a step in the conquest of the Promised Land. 

The rest of the story tells how the five kings were cap¬ 
tured in a cave, Makkedah, and slain. Then the Israelites 
advanced farther and farther into the Promised Land in their 
career of conquest. God was with them, and was helping 
them to win the victory. 

The; Book ok Jashar 

The Book of Jashar was a collection of poems which is 
quoted in our lesson passage. It is mentioned also in 
II Samuel 1 :18, where David sings the “ song of the bow,” at 
the time of the death of Saul and Jonathan. Nothing more 
is known of this book. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 363 

Handwork and Map Work 

Take a sheet of paper four by six inches. Fold it cross¬ 
wise into thirds. Also fold it lengthwise into thirds. Spread 
out the unfolded sheet. You will have nine blocks. Now 
look at the map of Palestine which is given on page 340. 
Take your sheet of paper, and tear the left-hand long edge 
to look like the boundary of the land along the Mediter¬ 
ranean Sea. If you make a mistake, take another sheet of 
paper. You will find that the blocks which you have folded 
make the tearing easier. Now, with your pencil, copy on the 
map the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee and the Dead 
Sea. Put in the cities which we have studied about so far 
in the stories of the Conquest of Canaan. Color the map 
with crayons, if you want to do this, making the water blue, 
the low land brown, the highlands green. 


Notebook Work 

Continue in your notebook the story of the conquest of 
Canaan. Find the names of the cities of the five kings and 
their own names in your lesson passage, and write them in 
your notebook. Look at the map on page 361, to find the 
situations of the places from which the kings came. 


Expressionae Activity 

God commanded the Israelites to destroy utterly the idol- 
worshiping people of the land who would tempt them to sin. 
He wants us, too, to destroy all the thoughts of our hearts, 
all the temptations that would lead us to sin. Let us try this 
week to fight against one bad habit—laziness, or selfishness, 
or some other fault. Perhaps we can fight against five bad 
habits, as the Israelites fought against five kings. And God 
will help us as he helped them. 

Memory Work 

Continue the learning of the names of the months of the 
Jewish year, which you began last week. These are given 
on pages 353-354. 





364 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

SUNDAY SESSION 

JOSHUA’S LAST ADDRESS 
Joshua, chapter 24 
The Memory Verses 

“ Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” 

—Joshua 24:15b. 

“ Jehovah our God will we serve, and unto his voice will 
we hearken.”—Joshua 24:24b. 

The Lesson Story 

Twenty-five years had passed since the Israelites had 
crossed the Jordan River and come into the Promised Land. 
One after another their enemies had fallen before them, and 
at last they were at peace. The land had been distributed 
among the tribes; the tabernacle had been set up at Shiloh; 
everything was prosperous. 

Joshua was by this time an old man. He knew that the 
end of his life must soon come, and he felt that once more 
he wanted to remind the people of God’s goodness to them 
and to help them to keep true to his service. So he called 
together a great assemblage of the people. From all parts 
of the land they came together to central Palestine, to 
Shechem, where hundreds of years before Abraham had 
built the first altar to the true God in Palestine, Genesis 12 :6. 
There, too, Jacob had settled after he had returned to 
Canaan, Genesis 33:18, and it was to Shechem that Joseph 
first went in search of his brothers, Genesis 37:12-14. 
Shechem was a place well known in the history of the Chil¬ 
dren of Israel. 

It was here that Joshua spoke the words of his last ad¬ 
dress to the people whom he had led for so many years. 
Solemnly he spoke to them, and solemnly they listened. As 
he thought of the place where he was speaking to them, he 
must have thought of the great events which had happened 
there. He remembered Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and 
he reminded the people of the great things that had been 
done for their ancestors and for themselves. He reviewed 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


365 


the story of God’s dealings with the Israelites from the days 
of Abraham to their own time. Then he came to the reason 
for his speech. 

“ Yon know all these great things that God has done for 
you, he said. “ You know the blessings that you have re¬ 
ceived. Now choose! Will you serve him, or will you serve 
the gods of the heathen? As for me and my house, we will 
serve Jehovah.” 

The people answered with a mighty shout, “ We also will 
serve Jehovah; for he is our God.” 



Again Joshua repeated his words, still more solemnly. 

“Ye cannot serve Jehovah and the heathen gods. He is a 
jealous God. He will not forgive transgressions.” 

And again the people shouted, “ We will serve Jehovah.” 

A third time Joshua spoke to them, and a third time the 
people promised, “ Jehovah our God will we serve, and unto 
his voice will we hearken.” 

Then Joshua wrote all these words in the book of the law. 
He took a great stone and set it up there at Shechem as a 
witness. And there, for many years it spoke silently to the 





366 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


people, reminding them of their promise to serve the true 
God, and not the gods of the heathen. And the Bible tells us 
that “ Israel served Jehovah all the days of Joshua, and all 
the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, and had known 
all the work of Jehovah, that he had wrought for Israel.” 

Joshua died not very long after this, at the age of one 
hundred and ten years. He had done his work, serving God 
and his nation in many ways. He had always been strong 
and of good courage, for God had helped him always, as he 
had promised. And when Joshua died, he left behind him 
an example which the people of Israel remembered and imi¬ 
tated for hundreds of years—an example which we, too, can 
remember and follow. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Liee of the Class 

We people of to-day—men and women, boys and girls— 
have before us the choice which Joshua put before the people 
of Israel. God says to us, too, “ Choose ye this day whom 
ye will serve.” Are you saying as Joshua said, “ As for me, 
I will serve the Lord ” ? 

Joshua gave to the people an example of strength and 
courage in leadership. Do you lead your friends and com¬ 
panions in the right way, or do you follow? If you follow, 
are you always sure to follow a good leader, or do you 
sometimes follow a leader who gets you into trouble? Be a 
wise leader yourself, or else, if you follow another, be sure 
that he is one who will lead you in the right way. 

Better than any human leader is Christ the Leader. 
“ Where he leads me, I will follow.” If you take him as 
your Guide, he is sure to lead you aright. 

The memorial stone which Joshua set up reminded the 
people of their covenant with God. We Americans, too, 
have memorial stones which remind us of great events. 
Daniel Webster, speaking at Bunker Hill monument, said: 
“ That motionless shaft will be the most powerful of 
speakers. Its speech will be of civil and religious liberty. It 
will speak of patriotism and liberty. It will speak of pa¬ 
triotism and courage. It will speak of the moral improve¬ 
ment and elevation of mankind. Decrepit age will lean 
against its base, and ingenuous youth gather around it, speak 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


367 


to each other of the glorious events with which it is con¬ 
nected, and exclaim, ‘ Thank God, I also am an American! ’ ” 

The: Lesson Truth in Your Lite 

In making the choices which I must make in my life, I 
will take Christ as my Guide, so that he may lead me to 
right service of the Lord. 

A Story oe Another Choice oe God and the Right 

It was in Lyons, in southern France, toward the end of 
the second century after Christ. There was a great conflict 
between the pagans and the followers of Christ, and many 
of the Christians were killed for their faith. Among them 
was a poor maiden named Blandina. She loved Christ; she 
chose to follow and serve him, though she endured tortures 
and finally death for his sake. We who make the choice for 
God to-day may thank him over and over again that we are 
not called on to endure the tortures which she endured. An 
old letter of the time tells about her: “ She was of such weak 
bodily frame that we all trembled for her. But, wonderful 
to say, she was able by the help of God to bid defiance to the 
several executioners who tortured her from daybreak until 
night. They finally owned themselves vanquished. They 
affirmed that the resources of their barbarous art were ex¬ 
hausted, and testified their astonishment that Blandina, after 
all that she had endured, was still living. ‘ We do not un¬ 
derstand it/ they said.” . . . Meanwhile Blandina was gain¬ 
ing new strength by the confession of her faith. “ I am a 
Christian,” she cried, and by this utterance dulled the point 
of her anguish. 

Then Blandina was led into the amphitheater . . . and 
made fast to a post, in order to be consumed by wild beasts. 
But none of them touched her, and she was then unbound 
and led back to prison, kept for another conflict. 

This last conflict came on the closing day of the gladitorial 
shows. Blandina was brought into the arena, at the same 
time with a youth, a boy of fifteen years, named Ponticus. 
. . . An efifort-was put forth to make them swear by the 
pagan idols. The sex of the one and the youth of the other 
was counted on to secure submission. In this expectation 


368 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Jesus Christ was forgotten, who makes use of weakness to 
put strength to shame. They both refused to obey. The 
crowd, like a wild beast that sees its prey escape, wished 
every kind of torture to be exhausted. Ponticus was first 
taken. . . . Blandina was left alone. . . . She was whipped, 
torn by the beasts, set upon a hot chair; afterwards she was 
inclosed in a net to be thrown to a wild, raging ox, and was 
tossed all broken into the air. Finally she was strangled. 
So great courage confounded the pagans. They owned that 
there was no woman among their number that could have 
endured such an amazing and long-continued course of 
suffering. 

Reader, is the spirit of this woman also in thee? Of her¬ 
self she was only what thou art. Seek what she sought, and 
thou wilt find what she found. “ When I am weak, then am 
I strong.”—“ Lives oe the Leaders oe the Church Uni¬ 
versal,” by MacCracken. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

CHOOSING TO SERVE THE LORD 
I Kings 18:30-39 

Suggestions eor the Leader’s Opening Address 

The people of Israel in the days of Joshua chose to serve 
the Lord rather than the idols of the heathen. So did the 
people in the days of Elijah the prophet. The people who 
live to-day in this great land of ours have a choice to make, 
too. We do' not have to choose between the true God and 
ugly idols of stone and wood such as the heathen of Joshua’s 
time, or of Elijah’s time worshiped, but we do have to choose 
whether we will serve God or not. We have to' choose be¬ 
tween loving him best, or ourselves best; we have to choose 
between seeking him first, or seeking worldly success first; 
we have to choose many times between helping others for 
his sake, or doing something for ourselves. In all these 
things we should feel as Joshua felt. In answer to the ques¬ 
tion, “ Choose ye this day,” we, too, should say, “ As for 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


369 


me ... I will serve the Lord.” Let us ask God to help us 
to make this choice. 


The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, help us to make the right choice 
when a choice is necessary for us. Help us always to decide 
to serve thee in every way. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. 


Verses eor Use in the Meeting 

Psalm 119:30; 2:11; John 4:24; Matthew 6:24; I Chron¬ 
icles 28:9; I Kings 18:21; II Corinthians 6:2. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ Who Is on the Lord’s Side ?” 

“ O Happy Day That Fixed My Choice.” 

“ Now Is the Time to Decide.” 

Questions eor Use in the Meeting 

1. How did God show that he was with the Israelites in 
the conquest of Canaan? 

2. Who was the leader of the five kings ? 

3. Where did Joshua call the people of Israel together 

for his farewell address to them? 

4. What other great events in the history of Israel hap¬ 
pened at this place? 

5. How old was Joshua at the time of his death? 

6. What did the Israelites decide about serving God? 

7. What are you going to decide about serving God ? 

8. How are you going to show this ? 

Topics eor Discussion or Reports 

1. Deciding for God and Right. 

2. The Canaanitish Kings. 

3. The Israelites Deciding for God at a Later Lime. 
I Kings 18:30-39. 


370 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


4. How Some Great Men of the Past Have Decided. 
(Jacob, Joseph, Polycarp, Luther.) 

5. How a Junior Can Show that He Has Decided for 
God and the Right. 

6. Everyday Decisions for the Right. 

7. Decisions I Can Make To-Day. 

To Read in the Meeting 

On one side is ourselves, our own way, our own wills and 
desires, the way of the world and the way of Satan. On the 
other side is Christ. Which shall we choose ? He has chosen 
all of us, for when we were baptized he took us for his own 
children and brought us like lambs into the fold of the 
Church. And when we grew up, some of us chose him as 
our Master. 

I am going to choose him to be my King and my Guide— 
he died for me, and I am going to live for him. 

“ Lord, thou needst not, I know, 

Service such as I can bring; 

Yet I long to prove and show 
Full allegiance to my King.” 


STORIES OF THE JUDGES 



CHAPTER XXXVII 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

WHEN THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEE 
Judges, chapters 1 to 3 
The: Me:mory Vers£ 

“ In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did 
that which was right in his own eyes.”—Judges 17:6. 

The: Le:sson Story 

The Israelites had won the Promised Land. The country 
had been divided among the various tribes. The tabernacle 
had been set up at Shiloh. Joshua, the old leader, had fin¬ 
ished his task and had died at the age of one hundred and 
ten years, and had been buried at Timnath-serah. 

After Joshua’s death the people of Israel had no human 
leader. Their King was God, but they often forgot that fact. 
They had not obeyed his command and driven out all the 
heathen from the land. They lived among those who wor¬ 
shiped Baal and Ashtaroth and the other heathen gods, and 
the tabernacle at Shiloh was almost forgotten. Instead of 
being a united nation with God as their King, the people of 
Israel seemed to be becoming just twelve separate tribes, 
settled among the other tribes of Canaan. 

The heathen tribes who were most dangerous to the Israel¬ 
ites were: (1) The Perizzites, who lived in the open country 
and tilled the ground. (2) The Hivites, who lived in vil¬ 
lages, but who raised sheep and cattle. (3) The Amorites, 
who lived in the highlands. (4) The Philistines, on the 
seacoast. (5) The Moabites and the Ammonites to the east 
of the Jordan. All these people were of the Phoenician race. 
In many ways they were much more civilized than the Israel¬ 
ites, but in one way they were far beneath them. They wor- 

373 


374 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


shiped the horrible gods, Baal and Ashtaroth. And it was 
because the Israelites forgot the true God who had done so 
much for them, and influenced by their heathen neighbors, 
turned to the worship of these gods, that trouble came to 
them again. 

At the very beginning of the Book of Judges we find that 
the men of the tribes of Judah and Simeon fought many vic¬ 
torious battles against the Canaanites, for God was with 
them. But gradually the people forgot God and forsook his 
worship until Jehovah became angry with them and let their 
enemies conquer them. “ Whithersoever they went out, the 
hand of Jehovah was against them for evil, . . . and they 
were sore distressed.” 

But God was merciful to them again. Once more he 
helped them. He raised up judges. These judges were not 
what we mean by the word, but leaders who delivered the 
Israelites from their trouble. The first of the leaders men¬ 
tioned is Othniel, the nephew of Caleb, who, you remember, 
had been one of the two faithful spies, Caleb and Joshua, 
who had first explored Canaan. Othniel fought successfully 
against the enemies of Israel, and for forty years the land 
was at peace. 

But again the Israelites forgot God’s goodness to them, 
and again God allowed an enemy king to come against them. 
This time the foe was Eglon, king of Moab, and for eighteen 
years the Israelites served him. 

Again they turned back to the true God and asked his 
help. This time, the judge who was sent to help them was 
Ehud, a Benjamite. 

Now there was a strange thing about the Benjamites. 
Very many of them were left-handed. Judges 20:16. Ehud 
was one of these left-handed men. The story of how he 
overcame Eglon shows how this left-handedness helped him. 
Eglon was “ a very fat man.” One day, as he was in his 
summer house, Ehud asked for an interview. He was 
allowed to see the king alone. He had a dagger hidden, and, 
as he approached the king, he grasped it in his left hand— 
the hand that the king would not expect him to use—and 
thrust it into the body of Eglon, and killed him. Then he 
slipped out of the .room and escaped. He summoned the 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


375 


Israelites; there was a great battle, and the Israelites, with 
God’s help, were victorious. 

Another victory at the time was won by Shamgar, who 
killed six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. 

During all the rest of Ehud’s life the Israelites had peace. 
For eighty years “ the land had rest,” while the people wor¬ 
shiped God, the true God, as he had commanded them to do. 



Handwork 

Take a strip of paper ten inches long and four inches wide, 
and two pieces of wood, as rollers, and make a scroll book, 
such as the Israelites used. In this keep a list of the judges 
of Israel. Your book should be rolled on the right hand 
roller as it is read, so write the first name at the right-hand 
end of the paper. 1. Othniel. Then tell something about 
him. There will be the names of twelve judges, so you can 
allow space for this. 


Notebook Work 

Write the story of one of the first “ judges,” about whom 
we are studying this week, in your notebook. 









376 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Expressionae Activity 

Try this week to be brave for the right as were these 
judges whom God raised up to help the Israelites. 


Memory Work 

recessional 

God of our fathers, known of old, 

Lord of our far-flung battle line, 
Beneath whose awful hand we hold 
Dominion over palm and pine: 

Lord God of hosts, be with us yet, 
Lest we forget—lest we forget. 


The tumult and the shouting dies; 

The captains and the kings depart; 

Still stands thine ancient sacrifice, 

An humble and a contrite heart: 

Lord God of hosts, be with us yet, 

Lest we forget—lest we forget. 

—Rudyard Kipling. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

DEBORAH AND BARAK DEFEAT SISERA 

Judges, chapters 4, 5 

The Memory Verse 

“ Thus saith Jehovah unto you, Fear not ye, neither be 
dismayed by reason of this great multitude ; for the battle 
is not yours, but God’s.”—II Chronicles 20:15b. 

The Lesson Story 

After the death of Ehud, the Israelites again forgot God’s 
goodness to them. Again they turned to the worship of 
heathen idols, and again God punished them by allowing a 
heathen king to rule over them. This king was Jabin, king 
of Canaan, who lived in Hazor. He was a cruel king, with 
a cruel general, Sisera, who commanded an army so great 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


377 


that there were in it nine hundred iron chariots. For twenty 
years Jabin oppressed the Israelites. 

Once more the Israelites turned to God and prayed for aid. 
And once more he answered the prayers of the people, by 
raising up a judge. This time the judge was a woman— 
Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth. Deborah called to the lead¬ 



ership of the army of Israel a man of the tribe of Naphtali, 
Barak, the son of Abinoam. 

“ God hath commanded thee to go against the forces of 
Sisera,” she said. “ Take ten thousand men and move 
toward Mount Tabor.” 

“ I will gO' if you will go with me,” answered Barak. 

“Certainly, I will go,” agreed Deborah, “but if I do go, 
the honor of the defeat of Sisera will not be yours, but will 
belong to a woman.” 
















378 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Quickly Deborah and Barak called together the men of 
the northern tribes, Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand 
men answered promptly. It was the land belonging to these 
tribes which was most oppressed. 

Sisera gathered together his forces—his great army, with 
its nine hundred chariots of iron. They marched toward the 
valley of Jezreel. 

Deborah knew that the time of battle had come. 

“ Up! ” she cried to Barak. “ This is the day. Is not 
Jehovah gone out before thee?” 

So encouraged, Barah advanced with his ten thousand men. 
They reached the Kishon River. It was a day of storm and 
flood, and the river was swollen and rapid. It overflowed 
its banks, and the ground was soft and boggy. A tremen¬ 
dous thunderstorm, with huge hailstones, broke over the 
plain and confused and blinded the Canaanites. The Israel¬ 
ites, with their mighty battle cry, advanced again, and before 
them the enemy fled. Their heavy chariots were caught in 
the mud and refused to move. The men leaped out. In the 
confusion they rushed into the Kishon River. Many of them 
were swept away and drowned. Others were killed by the 
advancing Israelites. Sisera himself jumped from his 
chariot and escaped on foot, but was later killed in the tent 
of Jael where he had taken refuge. 

Once more the victory of the Israelites over their enemy 
was complete. Once more God had given victory to his 
people when they showed their trust in him. 

And the victory song of Deborah is a song that shows 
that the people knew that once more God had given them 
victory—that it was he who had saved them from their 
enemies. 

Putting the; Lesson Into thf Life: of the; Class 

Deborah trusted God’s promise of help. She recognized 
that the victory was due to his aid, and she thanked him 
from all her heart for what he had done. We, too, should 
trust God, and should thank him for his goodness to us and 
to all people. 

Again God used the forces of nature in helping the Israel¬ 
ites to win the victory. He does not fight for us in the same 



Used by permission of W. H. Burhans. 














JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


379 


way that he fought for the Israelites, but he will give us aid 
in times of trouble. 

Every day we must fight battles against the temptations 
to wrong which are in our hearts. In these battles God will 
help us if we ask him. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

There will come to even the most faithful of God’s fol¬ 
lowers times when we must fight a battle for the right against 
the Tempter within ourselves. In these battles against sel¬ 
fishness, or laziness, or greed, or any other fault, God will 
help us if we ask him. 

The Plain of Jezreel, or Esdraelon 

The Plain of Esdraelon is really a series of plains extend¬ 
ing across Palestine from the Mediterranean Sea to the 
Jordan. It lies about two hundred feet above the level of the 
Mediterranean and to the east sinks toward the Jordan until 
it is below sea level. Its shape is that of an equiangular 
triangle. Through the middle flows the low, muddy Kishon, 
which, with many turnings, at last reaches Mount Carmel 
and then finds a narrow outlet into the Mediterranean. 

It is said that the Plain of Esdraelon was “ both the door 
and the key to Palestine.” The battle of Deborah and Barak 
was only one of many which have been fought on this “ bat¬ 
tle ground of the world.” We shall find in our next lesson 
that there was fighting there again; all through the Old 
Testament it was the scene of many battles. There the 
Syrians and the Egyptians and the Jews fought in the times 
between the Old and the New Testaments. The Romans 
came next. “ Pompey, Mark Antony, Vespasian, and Titus 
pass at the head of their legions, and the men of Galilee sally 
forth upon them from the same nooks in the hills of Naphtali 
from which their forefathers broke with Barak upon the 
chariots of Canaan.” 

Three centuries later the Arabs conquered Jezreel. For 
nearly five hundred years they remained in power, and then 
came the Crusaders, who thronged the plain with their 
forces, fighting until they were beaten back from the Lloly 
Land by their Saracen enemies. 


380 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Again in 1799 Napoleon and his armies fought a losing 
battle for the Plain, and in the Great War it was the scene 
of the victory of General Allenby and the British Army over 
the Turks. 

Truly the battle between Deborah and Barak and the forces 
of the Canaanites was the first of many which have been im¬ 
portant in history, and the Plain of Esdraelon is well called 
“ the battle ground of the world.” 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

LEADERSHIP FOR THE RIGHT 
Exodus 3:11, 12 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

Long before the days of Deborah and Barak, Moses, at 
the burning bush, hesitated to accept the leadership of the 
Israelites which God wanted him to take. Barak, too, hesi¬ 
tated when he was called upon to lead the Israelites in battle. 
But both of them, in the end, took the responsibility, and be¬ 
came leaders. Do you know how much the world needs 
leaders to-day? Do you know that God is calling men and 
women to-day who hesitate to lead just as Moses and Barak 
hesitated, because they do not feel that they are ready to 
take great responsibilities? We are only boys and girls, but 
while we are boys and girls is the time to make ready for 
leadership when we are men and women. We must learn 
now the lessons which will help us to be leaders for the right, 
both now, and when we are grown up. 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father, we ask that we may learn well the lessons 
which will make us leaders for the right. Help us to be 
ready if thou shouldest call us to positions of leadership in 
the future. We ask in the name of our great Leader for the 
right, Jesus Christ. Amen. 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 381 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Psalm 23 :2, 3 ; Isaiah 55 :4; 11:6; Matthew 20:27; Mark 
9:35; 10:45. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ Follow Thou Me, Is the Master’s Word.” 

“ He Leadeth Me.” 

“ Where He Leads Me, I Will Follow.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Why did Moses hesitate to become the leader of the 
people of Israel, as God commanded him? 

2. Why did Barak hesitate? Was he a coward? 

3. Did you ever hesitate about taking the lead? If you 
did, what made you act in this way ? 

4. How can you best prepare for leadership ? 

5. Is everyone fitted to be a 1 ader, or must some of us 
be followers? 

6. Are you ever jealous of those who lead in your class? 
in your homes ? in your games ? How should you try to con¬ 
quer such jealousy? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Preparing for Leadership. 

2 . How Moses Was Prepared for Leadership. 

3. Deborah and Barak. 

4. How a Junior Can Prepare to Be a Leader. 

5 . Leadership for God. 

6. Following Our Great Leader, Christ. 

7 . Schoolboy Leaders. 

8. Schoolgirl Leaders. 

To Read in the Meeting 

Did you ever play “ follow the leader ” ? When you were 
a leader, did you lead into danger or not? In the game of 
life you must be sure to lead those who follow you in the 

paths of right. 


382 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


We cannot all be leaders, but we can do our part as fol¬ 
lowers so well, that if we are ever called on to lead in an 
emergency, we will be ready. 

The first step in preparation to become a leader is to learn 
to be obedient. 

No one can command others who cannot command 
himself. 

Moses prepared for leadership by learning well all sorts 
of lessons. Juniors can follow his example in this. 

A guide through a forest trail must know the trail himself, 
or he will lead his followers astray. If we want to lead 
others in the paths of righteousness, we must know the paths 
ourselves. 


CHAPTER XXXVIII 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE CALL OF GIDEON 
Judges 6:1-24 
The Memory Verse 

“ Blessed is the man whom thou choosest,” 

—Psalm 65 :4a. 


The Lesson Story 


For forty years after the victory of Deborah and Barak 
the land of Israel had rest from its enemies. Then again 
they forgot the true God and his goodness to them. They 
turned once more to the worship of the gods of the heathen 
—Baal and Ashtoreth. Baal was the sun god of the Phoe¬ 
nicians, a horrible creature of their imaginations, whose 
worship demanded the sacrifice of children. Ashtoreth was 
a goddess, worshiped in connection with Baal. The Asherah 
was a wooden symbol of this goddess, sometimes a tree with 
branches cut off, sometimes a more elaborte wooden figure. 
The Children of Israel were certainly doing evil in the sight 
of the true God when they turned from worshiping him to 
the worship of these creatures made of wood by the hands 


of men. 

God knew that his people must again be punished for 
their sin. Again he allowed an enemy to come against them 
and to subdue them. This time the enemy was the Midianites 
and the Amalekites and they overran the land of Isiael in 
such numbers that the Bible says they came in as locusts 
for multitude.” They took all the grain of the Israelites, all 
their cattle, all their possessions of every sort, so that many 
of God’s people had to leave their homes and take refuge m 
mountain caves, where they would he safe from the enemy. 
When things had reached this state, the thoughts of the 


383 


384 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


people turned once again to the true God and once more they 
called upon him for aid. And again God heard their call 
and answered it. 



THRESHING IN PALESTINE 


On the west side of the Jordan was the town of Ophrah. 
In this place there lived a man named Joash—a well-to-do 
farmer, for he had many servants, but, nevertheless, a wor¬ 
shiper of Baal and Ashtoreth, the gods of the heathen. Joash 




















































JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 385 

had a son Gideon,—a young man of great strength and 
courage. 

But Gideon wasn’t showing strength and courage on the 
day when the Bible story which tells of him began. He was 
beating out wheat in the winepress! That is, instead of 
threshing wheat as was usually done with a flail and oxen, 
he was in a secret place beating out by hand with a stick the 
grain which he had managed to hide from the enemy. And 
he wasn’t happy about it. He felt ashamed of himself and 
of the people of Israel. He was sad and indignant. 

Suddenly an angel appeared to him and spoke. 

“ Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valor,’’ the 
angel said. 

Now the people of Ophrah, including Gideon’s family, no 
longer worshiped Jehovah. They worshiped the gods of the 
heathen. So the speech of the angel must have seemed 
strange to Gideon. He answered the angel earnestly. 

“ Oh, my lord, if Jehovah is with us, why then is all this 
befallen us? and where are all his wondrous works?” 
Gideon does not seem to have realized that the fault lay with 
Israel and not with Jehovah. 

The angel spoke again. 

“ Go in this thy might, and save Israel from the hand of 
Midian : have not I sent thee ? ” 

Gideon, like Moses, like Barak, hesitated to accept the 
leadership. 

“ Oh, Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel ? behold, my 
family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my 
father’s house,” he said. 

Then God made to Gideon the great promise which he had 
made to so many other leaders for him: “ Surely I will be 
with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.” 

So Gideon knew that he was God’s choice. He accepted 
the responsibility. He prepared a feast for the Stranger, 
such as Abraham had prepared for the angels, Genesis 18:7, 8 
—this time, a kid and unleavened cakes. But the angel, in¬ 
stead of eating the food, stretched out the staff which he held 
in his hand. He touched the food and fire came forth from 
the rock on which it lay and consumed it. And as this was 
done the angel disappeared. 


386 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Thus God showed to Gideon that he was chosen for lead¬ 
ership. He was to lead the people of Israel once more to 
victory and freedom—to bring them back once more to the 
worship of the true God and the way of righteousness. 

Handwork 

Gideon was threshing grain, but he was not doing it in the 
way that threshing was usually done in those days. Usually 
a flat, rocky field about fifty feet in diameter on a hilltop was 
used as a “ threshing floor.” The grain was loosened and 
spread over this place. Then oxen were driven round and 
round over the grain to trample out the kernels. Sometimes 
they dragged a heavy cart or sled. This sled was made of 
two heavy planks curved upward at the front and fastened 
side by side, with sharp pieces of stone fixed in holes bored 
in the bottom. This sled beat out the grain. Then, if there 
was wind, the threshed grain was tossed high in the air with 
a shovel or a fork. The chaff blew away; the grain fell to 
the ground. If there was no wind, one man plied a large 
fan, while another tossed the grain. 

See if you can make on the sand table a scene of thresh¬ 
ing grain as it was usually done in Palestine. 

Map Work 

Draw on the blackboard a map of Palestine, showing the 
Jordan River and the Plain of Jezreel, about which you 
studied last week. 


Notebook Work 

Write in your notebook the story of the call of Gideon in 
your own words. 


Expressional Activity 

During this week keep steadily at the duty which lies near¬ 
est to you. That is what Gideon was doing, when God 
called him to leadership. 

Memory Work 
Learn the following stanza: 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


387 


I live for those who love me, 

For those who know me true, 

For the heavens that bend above me, 

And the good that I can do; 

For the cause that needs assistance, 

For the wrongs that lack resistance, 

For the future in the distance, 

And that good that I can do. 

-Thomas Guthrie;. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

GIDEON’S ANSWER TO THE CALL 
Judges 6 :25-32 
The Memory Verse 

“ Surely I will be with thee.’’—Judges 6:16b. 

The Lesson Story 

“ Come, Abimelech ! Come, Jothan ! Come ! ” From one 
to another of his father’s servants Gideon went that night. 
Quietly he roused them. Quietly he gave his orders. God’s 
message had come to him and he was ready to do his duty. 
The first step was to destroy the place of worship of the 
heathen gods, as the true God had directed. 

Quietly they took the two bullocks of Joash, the father of 
Gideon. They threw down the altar of Baal and cut down 
the wooden image of the goddess that was near by. Then 
they built up an altar to the true God—one stone on another, 
all things quietly and in order. The wood from the image 
of the Asherah was placed on the altar. One of the bullocks 
was slain; the flesh was laid on the wood. Fire was kindled, 
and once more in Israel a burnt offering was given to the 
Lord. 

Gideon had feared to destroy the images of the heathen 
gods by day, and so had acted at night. The next morning 
showed that his fears were justified, for when the people of 
the city discovered what he had done, they hastened to Joash. 
They demanded that Gideon should be handed over to them 
to be slain. 



388 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


But Joash, his father, showed that he was a wise man. 

“If Baal is a god,” he said, “ he can take care of himself. 
He does not need your vengeance. Let Baal punish Gideon.” 

The people were persuaded. They did not lay hands on 
Gideon. He was free, for God was with him as he had 
promised to be. He had taken the first step as leader of the 
people by freeing his own home from the worship of the 
heathen gods, and his townsmen, many of them, must have 
followed his example. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Liee oe the Class 

If we put God into our hearts, we must destroy all other 
idols. If we want to lead others in the paths of righteous¬ 
ness, we must first know those paths ourselves. 

If we are brave for the right, we will lead others to be 
brave also. Enthusiasm for a good cause will lead others to 
join with us. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Liee 

I will drive out all other idols from my heart and worship 
only the true God. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY 
Judges 6:33 to 7:1 

Suggestions eor the Leader's Opening Address 

Gideon hesitated to accept the responsibility which God 
wanted him to take as Moses and Barak had hesitated. 
Twice he asked God to prove to him by means of the fleece 
that God was really with him. We often find that men and 
women are afraid to undertake the great tasks that God 
wants them to undertake. We ourselves often dread to ac¬ 
cept responsibilities, and we often are shirkers. We don’t 
want to undertake the job of cutting the grass, or dressing 
the baby. We would rather not have the responsibility. 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 389 

Perhaps you think that if some one should ask you to do 
a great big thing, you would be ready. But this is not often 
so. It is the person who is ready to accept the responsibility 
in little things who is ready when the emergency comes. 
Let us ask God to help us to be ready to accept the respon¬ 
sibilities which he wants us to take. 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, help us to do well our duties of 
every day, so that if the time comes for us to do a great task 
for thee, we may be ready. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

John 8:12; Matthew 16:24, 25; Galatians 6:2; Matthew 
11 :28, 29; Titus 3:1 ; II Corinthians 8:11. 

PIymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ Go, Labor On.” 

“ O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee.” 

“ Hark, ’Tis the Watchman’s Cry.” 

“ Lord, Lead the Way the Saviour Went.” 

“ Take My Life, and Let It Be.” 

“ Lead On, O King Eternal.”, 

“ O Jesus, I Have Promised.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. Compare the ways in which Moses, Barak, and Gideon 
received God’s command that they should accept respon¬ 
sibilities. 

2. Name any modern leaders whom you know of who 

hesitated to assume responsibilities. 

3. If you were asked to be responsible for an important 

undertaking, what would you do? 

4. How can a Tunior prepare for greater responsibilities t 

5. Have you done anything this week that will help you 

in the responsibilities of the future? 

6. How can you best prepare for the future ? 


390 


PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


7. Where will you get the greatest help in bearing the 
responsibilities of the future? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. Accepting Responsibilities. 

2. How Every Responsibility Prepares Us for Greater 
Responsibilities. 

3. How I Can Prepare for Responsibilities. 

4. The Responsibilities of Leadership. 

5. My Responsibilities. 

6. How God Will Help Us in Taking Responsibilities. 

To Read in the Meeting 

It is a wonderful thing to be called to do God’s work. 
We all receive that call, and should make ready for it by 
doing our best with the work that is given us to do each day. 

When George Washington was asked to become the Presi¬ 
dent of the United States, he asked God’s help before he 
assumed the responsibility. 

“ Boy Wanted ” 

“ Wanted—a Boy.” How often we 
This quite familiar notice see. 

Wanted—a boy for every kind 
Of task that a busy world can find. 

He is wanted—wanted now and here; 

There are towns to build ; there are paths to clear; 

There are seas to sail; there are gulfs to span, 

In the ever onward march of man. 

Wanted—the world wants boys to-day, 

And it offers them all it has for pay. 

’Twill grant them wealth, position, fame, 

A useful life, and an honored name. 

Boys who will guide the plow and pen; 

Boys who will shape the ways for men; 

Boys who will forward the tasks begun, 

For the world’s great work is never done. 

The world is eager to employ 

Not just one, but every boy 

Who, with a purpose stanch and true, 

Will greet the work he finds to do. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


391 


Honest, faithful, earnest, kind,— 

To good, awake; to evil, blind,— 

A heart of gold without alloy,— 

Wanted—the world wants such a boy. 

Forbes & Company, Chicago. 

Used by SpEciae Arrangement with the Publishers. 

A Sweeper Convert Who Showed His Faith 

The little village of Gilsuli in northern India was settling 
down for the night. The lights were beginning to glimmer, 
and the ordinary bonfires were shedding their rays of warmth 
upon the small groups of men and boys who squatted, ac¬ 
cording to their custom, on their heels in circles about these 
fires. The young Christian, whom we will call Zorawar 
(strong one), was about seventeen years old and his family 
had become Christian some fifteen years before. Zorawar 
and his people, the only family of Christians in this village, 
were respectable people on friendly terms with all. When 
the talk turned to their daily troubles, some one less relig¬ 
iously inclined than most, remarked, “ It is a pity we cannot 
go and cut the tender branches of that devil’s peepal tree to 
feed our cattle.” Not a few of the crowd sympathized with 
the speaker. The opportunity came for the Christian to give 
his testimony. He told them that the goddess of the particu¬ 
lar tree referred to, like all idols, was not to be feared, for 
she was not a god, that the living God and Creator was not 
fashioned by men’s hands, that he is loving and the God who 
gave food to all. Some one proposed that the Christian give 
proof of his words and go cut the leaves of the tree which 
was supposed to belong to the goddess. The crowd joined 
in making a real challenge to the young man. He said that 
he did not wish to do anything against their scruples but if 
they would not be offended he would accept the challenge. 
They said to him: “ Go to, the goddess will see to you her¬ 
self. You will be cursed and destroyed by her.” Next 
morning a curious and somewhat fearful crowd gathered to 
watch the outcome of this conflict between the Christian and 
the goddess of the Hindus. 

Zorawar with his big knife climbed the tree. First of all, 
he cut the cords which bound the bamboo poles right up in 
the treetop, on which fluttered the pennants of the goddess, 


392 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

and threw both of these to the ground. That must have 
caused many of the devout to catch their breath. Next, he 
cut a lot of the tender branches at the top and, when a good- 
sized pile had accumulated on the ground, he came down, 
gathered up the branches, and carried them home where the 
buffalo cow devoured them greedily. The event had become 
much-talked-of, and all through the village people discussed 
it and wondered how soon the goddess would take vengeance, 
for few doubte 1 that she would. Six months passed and 
neither Zorawar nor any of his family showed any signs of 
having been cursed. One day a second challenge was issued, 
for these villagers thought they had a stronger ally in the 
person of yet another, the smallpox goddess. This was a big 
stone about four and a half feet long and nine inches broad 
and six deep. Again Zorawar hesitated lest he offend his 
neighbors, but when they put it up to him and the goddess 
to settle the question between themselves, he knew what to 
do. He had once tried to lift the big stone from its ancient 
bed, but lacked the strength. He called his brother, and to¬ 
gether they lifted it up and carrying the idol to their house 
laid it in front of their door for a doorstep. Again the ex¬ 
pectation that some dreadful calamity would overtake this 
family died away with the passage of months and years. 

Zorawar was a convert from the despised u sweeper caste. 
He is still a humble, friendly neighbor in the village of 
Gilauli, and there is hope that some day he may have the joy 
of seeing his fellow citizens accepting his Saviour.— From A 
Letter Sent Out By The Board of Foreign Missions of 
The North India Sunday School. 


CHAPTER XXXIX 

WEEK DAY SESSION 

GIDEON’S VICTORY 
Judges, chapter 7 

The Memory Verse 

“ Jehovah is on my side; I will not fear: 

What can man do' unto me? ” —Psalm 118:6. 

The Lesson Story 

In answer to Gideon’s call to the Israelites men from all 
the northern part of Palestine rallied around him. There 
were men from Manassah, and from Asher, and from 
Zebulun, and from Naphtali—thirty-twO' thousand of them. 
They came together at the south side of the valley of Jezreel, 
a place which was later called the spring of Harod—“ Cow¬ 
ards’ Creek.” On the other side of this valley were pitched 
the camps of the Midianites, by the hill Moreh. 

The army of the Israelites, even with thirty-two thousand 
men seemed small in comparison with the great force of the 
enemy, but even this was too many. God spoke to Gideon. 

“ There are too many people in your forces,” he said. 
“ If the army is so large as this, they will think that the 
glory is their own, and not mine. Send home all those who 
are afraid! ” 

Now you can see why this place where the Israelites were 
encamped was called later by a word meaning “ Cowards’ 
Creek.” For when Gideon repeated God’s message to the 
people, twenty-two thousand of them went home ! There 
were only ten thousand brave men left in the army of Israel! 

But God spoke to Gideon again. “ There are still too 
many men,” he said. “ Test them out again, and I will show 
you the men to choose.” 


393 


394 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


The ten thousand men were led down to the water. They 
were told to drink. Some of them knelt down by the stream 
and drank, without thought of danger. Others dipped their 
hands in the water and drank from the palm quickly, so 
that they were ready for whatever happened, just as a dog 
laps water while always ready and alert for a call from his 
master. There were three hundred of these men, who were 
alert and watchful. God told Gideon that it was with these 
three hundred men that he was to attack the great host of 
the Midianites. All the other men were sent away. 

It must have seemed a hard thing to Gideon to obey God. 



His little force of three hundred men was brave, but the 
Midianites were “ like locusts for multitude; and their 
camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the 
sea-shore for multitude.” Gideon must have been troubled, 
but again God spoke to him. “ Take your servant and go 
into the camp of the Midianites,” God said, “ and hear what 
they say. Afterwards the host of the Midianites shall be 
delivered into thine hand.” 

Gideon and his servant stole through the enemies’ camp. 
One of the soldiers was talking and telling a companion of 
a dream. It was a queer dream, for he thought that a 
barley loaf had tumbled into the army of the Midianites and 
had overturned a tent. 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


395 


“ The barley loaf means Gideon, the son of Joash,” ex¬ 
plained the second man. “ His force is going to defeat our 
force. God has delivered the Midianites into his hands.” 

When Gideon heard these words, his courage was re¬ 
newed. He worshiped God again, and God once more prom¬ 
ised him help. He returned to his little force with a new 
plan. He divided them into three companies of a hundred 
each. To each man he gave a trumpet and a pitcher in 
which was a torch. Then he ordered them to follow him 
and to do what he did, shouting the war cry, “ The sword of 
Jehovah and of Gideon! ” 

Then, just as the Midianites were changing guard in the 
middle of the night, the little host of Israelites stole upon 
them. Their torches were hidden in the pitchers. At a sig¬ 
nal from Gideon, they blew their trumpets, all together. 
With a mighty crash they broke their pitchers, and, raising 
the torches high in their left hands and holding the trumpets 
in the right, they moved forward with a mighty shout, “ The 
sword of Jehovah and of Gideon.” 

So great was the noise and the surprise that the Midianites 
fled in a panic. Not waiting to see how small a force had 
attacked them they ran away, crying with terror. Gideon 
and his men pursued them. Other men from northern Israel 
joined them until a great victory was won by the Isiaelites 
and the enemy had been driven from the land. 

The joy of the people of Israel in this victory was so great 
that they wanted to make Gideon king. But Gideon was 
God’s man. He knew that God was King oyer Israel, so he 
refused. “ I will not rule over you,” he said. “ The Lord 
shall rule over you.” 

Though Gideon refused to be king, he acted as a judge ot 
the people. Lor forty years he judged them, and the land 
was at peace. But it came to pass that as soon as he was 
dead, the people of Israel forgot God’s goodness to them. 
Ao-ain, as they had done so often before, they turned from 
the worship of the true God to the gods of the heathen; they 
walked once more in the paths of wickedness. 


Handwork 

From modeling clay, make a “ pitcher,” such as you nn- 


396 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


agine that Gideon and his men carried. Then place in it a 
“ torch,” made of a toothpick or other small bit of wood. 

Represent on the sand table the scene of the battle. Make 
paper tents for the encampment of the Midianites. These 
should be of dark paper, for the tents of Eastern people, you 
remember, are made of skins. Put the encampment of the 
Israelites, with its few tents, at a suitable distance, and show 
how the attack was made. 

Map Work and Notebook Work 

Copy the map of the scene of the battle in your notebooks, 
and write the story of the victory of Gideon and his three 
hundred. 


Expressional Activity 

If you have an opportunity this week to do something that 
it is hard for you to do, but that is your duty, do it with all 
your might and main, trusting that God will help you. 

Memory Work 

Learn the verses, v *Boy Wanted,” which are printed on 
page 390 ; or this poem : 

“ Dare to do right! Dare to be true! 

You have a work that no other can do; 

Do it so bravely, so kindly, so well 
Angels will hasten the story to tell. 

“ Dare to do right! Dare to be true! 

Other men’s failures can never save you. 

Stand by your conscience, your honor, your faith • 

Stand like a hero and battle till death.” 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE BRAMBLE BUSH KING 
Judges 9:6-21 
The Memory Verse 

u Jehovah of hosts, 

He is the King of glory.” 

Psalm 24:10. 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 397 

The: Lesson Story 

Gideon was a judge in Israel for many years, and during 
his lifetime the people of Israel had peace. But as soon as 
he was dead, they began again to turn aside from the wor¬ 
ship of the true God. The people of Shechem—the place 
where so many wonderful things had happened in the his¬ 
tory of Israel—were among the first to wish for a change. 

Gideon had many sons and daughters. One of these sons 
was Abimelech, whose mother had been a native of Shechem. 
The Shechemites planned to make Abimelech king. They 
gave him money and he hired a force of men. With these 
men, he went to Ophrah, whe**e he killed all his brothers, 
with the exception of one—-Jotham, who managed in some 
way to escape. Then Abimelech returned to Shechem, and 
there, in that place where Jacob had raised an altar to the 
true God, so long before, Genesis 33:18-20, where Joshua 
had gathered the people together at the assemblage where 
they promised to serve the Lord, Joshua, chapter 24, 
Abimelech was made king! 

Shechem, you remember, was situated between two moun¬ 
tains, Gerizim and Ebal, the mountains of the blessings and 
the cursings, Deuteronomy 11 :29; Joshua 8:33, 34. Words 
spoken in these mountains carry far, and it has been found 
by experiment in modern times that words spoken on Mount 
Gerizim slowly and plainly can be heard in Shechem. When 
Jotham, the son of Gideon, heard that his brother Abimelech 
had been made king, he suddenly appeared on a great bluff 
of Mount Gerizim. He spoke to the people in a clear voice, 
which reached them plainly. As they listened in amazement 
he told them a story—a fable, such as people in the East like 
even to-day. 

“ Hear me, men of Shechem,” he said, “ if you would have 
God hear you.” 

“ Once upon a time the trees decided to have a king. They 
went to the olive tree and asked it to be their king. But the 
olive tree refused. ‘ Should I refuse my fruit, which is of 
such great use to men,’ it asked, ‘ in order to rule over the 

trees ? 5 

“ The trees went then to the fig tree. ‘ Come and reign 


398 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


over us/ they said. But the fig tree answered, ‘ Shall I give 
up my fruit to reign over you ? ’ 

“ Then the trees asked the vine to be their king. But the 
vine, too, refused to give up its usefulness to man in order to 
be the king of the trees. 

“ Then they went to the bramble bush with their request. 
The bramble bush is of no use at all in the world. It is only 
a little bush. But it was very haughty when the trees 
came to it. 

“ ‘ I will be your king/ it said, ‘ if you will come and trust 
in my shade. If not, let fire come and burn all the great 
trees of the forest.’ ” 

Then Jotham showed the people what his fable meant. 

His father, Gideon, who was a great and strong man, had 
refused to be king of the people of Israel, whose true King 
was God. Now they had chosen Abimelech as king—a man 
who would do them no more good than the bramble-bush 
king would do the trees. 

Then, with a mocking wish that they might have joy in 
their choice of a ruler, Jotham turned and disappeared 
among the rocks. 

And Abimelech’s reign was a failure. He never became 
king of all Israel, but only of the people of Shechem and 
their neighbors. Things got worse and worse, and finally 
the citizens of Shechem rebelled. There was a fight in which 
Abimelech treacherouslv killed many people, but was himself 
finally killed. He had been an untrue leader of his people— 
one who had tried to lead when he was unfit for leadership. 
Like the bramble-bush king, he was too conceited about him¬ 
self to know that he could not be a worthy leader of his 
people. He did not trust in God and ask his help. He made 
a failure as Jotham foretold in his fable of the bramble-bush 
king. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Liee oe the Class 

If you want to be a true leader of others, you must pre¬ 
pare for such leadership, and be sure that you are the very 
best person in the group to be the leader. 

If you want to be a true leader, you must not be so con¬ 
ceited about yourself that you forget what others can do, too. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


399 


Sometimes a real leader is not the person who “ shows 
off ” most, but the person who works quietly for the good 
of his group. The boy who makes a long run in a football 
team is a hero at the time, but often the real leader is a boy 
who practices steadily and encourages all the rest, even 
though he may not “ show off ” in the game. 

Who is the leader in your group of girls? Is she a 
bramble-bush queen, or is she a girl who works for the good 
of all the group as did the olive tree and the fig tree and the 
vine in Jotham’s fable? 


The Lesson Truth in Your Liee 

Resolved that I will be a true leader, one who works for 
the good of all and not merely one who wants to show off, 
but is really only a “ bramble-bush king.” 


Shechem 

A drive of another hour or two . . . brings us to the 
eastern slope of Mount Gerizim, in Samaria. Before us is 
Mount Ebal, rising to a height of twenty-eight hundred feet 
—two hundred higher than Gerizim—and between the two 
is the most beautiful valley in Palestine, the Vale of 
Shechem, which here, at right angles, joins the great Valley 
of Mukhria, up which we have driven. 

We are now in the center of Samaria. Two miles to our 
left up the valley lies Shechem, now called Nablous, a cor¬ 
ruption of Neapolis; it is situated in the tribe of Ephraim, 
and is still a large town on the northern slope of Gerizim; 
it has no less than eighty springs of water, giving a wonder¬ 
ful fertility to the valley in which it stands, which is full of 
flowers, green verdure, growing crops, and abundant fruit of 
all sorts; soft mists rise before the glowing heat of the day, 
and nightingales and other birds sing in the woods. 

Just above the city the two mountains approach so near, 
and have such acoustic properties, that, as has been proved, 
a voice carries across with great £ase. 

From “ Where He Dwelt,” by Alfred T. SchoElELD. 


400 


PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

THE QUALITIES OF A TRUE LEADER 

John 16:13; Philippians 4:8; II Timothy 2:14 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

During the last few weeks we have been learning much 
about the leaders of the people of Israel. We have learned 
that Moses, the great leader from Egypt, was a man noted 
for his meekness; that Joshua was a strong and courageous 
man in the Lord; that Deborah and Barak and Gideon all 
were brave because God helped them to be brave; that Abi- 
melech proved a poor leader because he did not turn to God. 
We have a Model, a Leader, whom those men of Old Testa¬ 
ment times did not have, the Holy Spirit, who came to Jesus’ 
followers on the Day of Pentecost—a Leader who would 
guide them into all truth. And under his guidance we, too, 
can become leaders, workmen approved of God, as Paul told 
Timothy that he should be. In writing to the church at 
Philippi, Paul told the people some of the ways in which 
they could please God, and so prepare themselves for lead¬ 
ership of others in the right paths. Let us all read together 
Philippians 4:8, to see what Paul says about preparing our¬ 
selves for God’s work. 

/ 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, help us to prepare to help in thy 
work, to be leaders for thee, even while we are only Juniors. 
Help us tO' be workmen pleasing to thee. Give us thy Holy 
Spirit, whom thou hast promised to send as our guide. We 
ask these things in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Psalm 27:11 ; 37 :5 ; Joshua 1:8; Proverbs 3 :4; 21b-23. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

The hymns that have been used with the last few lessons. 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


401 


Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. What are some of the qualities of a true leader? 

2. How can you best develop these qualities? 

3. Is a leader always successful from the world’s point 
of view ? 

4. Was Christ, the greatest Leader whom the world has 
ever known, successful from the world’s point of view? 

5. How can Juniors develop the qualities of a true 
leader ? 

6. Is it necessary to push oneself forward to leadership? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Qualities of a True Leader. 

(a) Knowledge. 

(b) Will Power. 

(c) Perseverance. 

(d) Modesty. 

(e) Cooperation. 

(f) Dependableness. 

(g) Perseverance. 

(h) Generosity. 

2. The Greatest- of All Leaders. 

To Read in the Meeting 

“ Great people who are great leaders set us examples so 
vivid and thrilling that we in our little way wish to be leaders 
too. Leadership holds down all our low instincts and brings 
forth our better emotions. The more we develop our lead¬ 
ership, the more we love our fellow men.” 

“ Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers. . . . 
The Lord manifested in them great glory, even his mighty 
power from the beginning. . . . Leaders of the people by 
their counsels, and by their understanding, men of learning 
for the people; wise were their words in their instructions 
. . . their glory shall not be blotted out. . . . Peoples will 
declare their wisdom, and the congregation letteth out their 
praise.”—Ecclesiasticus, chapter 44. 

Jesus Christ, the great Leader, is the Example whom we 
should all follow. 


402 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

“ The King Says We Must Wake Up ” 

By JOHN WANAMAKER 

An unsuccessful clerk or business man does not need to 
look far for the cause of his trouble. It is generally in him¬ 
self or herself. It may be one of this dozen of little things, 
that are not little things: 

1. He forgets that his worth is manifest by what he pro¬ 
duces in management or sales. 

2. He finds excuses for not doing, instead of finding 
ways to do what should be done. 

3. The world goes ahead in almost every direction, and 
he keeps on the humdrum turnpike where somebody will 
have to pay the tolls. 

4. He is not observant, accurate, or thoughtful. 

5. He is sailing by the broken compass of chance. 

6. He flatters himself by comparing in his own mirror, 
instead of with others that have passed him in the race. 

7. He thinks nobody notices that he has fallen behind. 

8. He does not love his work as he used to, and therefore 
his enthusiasms have been lost. 

9. He puts off too many things until to-morrow. 

10. He is unconscious of being idle much of his time, 
and lets the day go by lacking results he could have attained. 

11. His lack of thoroughness blocks his leadership. 

12. However honorable, he fails to realize that his ex¬ 
ample affects others. 

When King George of England came back from Australia 
just before his coronation as king, he called the leading busi¬ 
ness men into the old Guild Hall of London, and told them 
they must WAKE UP, or their provinces would get ahead 
of them in the Mother Country. 

In hundreds of places in the business parts of London, 
during the coronation ceremonies, great electric signs in 
color stood out saying: 


“ The King Says We Must WAKE UP.” 


CHAPTER XL 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

A STRONG MAN WITH A WEAK WILL 
Judges chapters 13, 14 
The: Memory Verse: 

“ Prove all things; hold fast that which is good; abstain 
from every form of evil.”—I Thessalonians 5:21, 22. 

The Lesson Story 

Abimelech, the son of Gideon, was not a ruler of a large 
part of Palestine. Only a very few people acknowledged 
him as king. Most of the Israelites were still governed by 
judges. We have the names of several judges, though very 
little is told us about them. 

1. Toea, a man of Issachar, who judged Israel for 
twenty-three years. 

2. Jair, the Gileadite. Jair judged Israel for twenty-two 
years. 

3. Jephthah, who was also a Gileadite. Jephthah won 
great victories over the Ammonites for Israel. He was a 
judge for six years. 

4. Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel for seven years. 

5. Eton was a judge for ten years. 

6. Abdon was a judge for eidit years. 

The Book of Judges tells us very little about these men. 
But it does tell us over and over that “ the children of Israel 
again did 'hat which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.” 
Over and over again they forgot his great kindness to them, 
and turned to the worship of idols. After one of these 
times, God allowed them to fall into the power of the Philis¬ 
tines. who ruled over them for forty years. 

The Philistines were a people who lived southwest of the 
Israelites. It was from their name that the land was called 


403 


404 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


“ Palestine.” The land which they held reached to the Medi¬ 
terranean Sea. It was only about fifty miles long and fifteen 
miles wide, but there were five important cities in ancient 
times. Of these cities, Gaza is still a large place. Ekron 
and Ashdod are little villages. Ashkelon is in ruins, and no 
one knows where the city of Gath was situated. 

At the time when the Israelites were in the power of the 
Philistines, there lived in Zorah, a town in Judah, a man 
named Manoah and his wife. Like Zacharias and Elisabeth, 
in New Testament times a thousand years later, they were 
good people, but they had no children. You remember how 
an angel appeared to Zacharias, and told him of the coming 
of the baby John, who became John the Baptist. So an angel 
appeared to Manoah’s wife, and told her that to her and 
Manoah there should be born a son, who would “ begin to 
save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” Like John 
the Baptist, this baby was to be a Nazirite—that is, he should 
take certain vows to God; he should never drink wine; his 
hair should never be cut. 

In time the angel’s message was carried out. A son was 
born to Manoah and his wife, whom they named “ Samson.” 

Samson grew to be a very strong young man in body. He 
was also very quick-witted and bright. 

One day he went into the land of the Philistines. And 
there he fell in love with a maiden of the Philistines. He 
told his parents about this, and they went to the city of 
Timnah where the maiden lived, to arrange about the mar¬ 
riage. Samson was some distance behind his parents as they 
journeyed. A lion suddenly attacked him, and he killed the 
beast with his bare hands. He did not mention his deed even 
to his father and mother. The next time he went by the 
place he stopped to look at the body of the animal, and found 
that there was a swarm of bees in the body, and honey. He 
took some of this, and gave it to his father and mother also. 

At the wedding feast, as was the custom in those days, the 
guests amused themselves by asking riddles. When Sam¬ 
son’s turn came, he had made up a riddle about the honey 
which he had found in the carcass of the lion. 

“ Let me now put forth a riddle unto you,” he said. “If 
you can tell me the answer within seven days, I will give 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


405 


you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of raiment. If 
you cannot tell me, you shall give me thirty linen garments 
and thirty changes of raiment.” 

“ Tell us the riddle, and we shall try to guess it,” answered 
the Philistines. 

Then Samson told them his riddle: 

“ Out of the eater came forth food, 

And out of the strong came forth sweetness.” 

For three days the Philistines tried to guess the answer 
to this riddle, but they did not succeed. Then, on the sev¬ 
enth day, the friends of Samson’s wife urged her to find out 
the answer. She coaxed her husband until he told her, and 
of course she proved false to him, and told her friends. 

So, just before the sun went down on the last day of the 
test, the Philistines called Samson, and told him the answer 
to his riddle which they had obtained by cheating. 

“ What is sweeter than honey ? and what is stronger than 
a lion ? ” they asked. 

Samson knew at once that he had been deceived. He was 
very angry. He left Timnah and went to Ashkelon, another 
of the cities of the Philistines. There he killed thirty men, 
whose garments he took and gave to the wedding guests in 
payment of his wager. Then he returned to his father’s 
home. No longer would he have any friendly dealings with 
the Philistines. 


Handwork 

Draw a map of the land of the Philistines in your note¬ 
book, and mark the five principal cities. You will find such 
a map to copy in your Bible. 

Notebook Work 

Start the story of Samson’s early life in your notebook. 
Call this part Chapter I, and illustrate it with a small pic¬ 
ture of Samson’s fight with the lion. Fill in the names of 
the judges in the scroll which you started with Chapter 
XXXVII. 


406 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

Expressionae Activity 

As you think of Samson in this lesson, what was his great¬ 
est fault? Try to avoid that fault this week. 

Memory Work 

The Great English Poet, Milton wrote a long poem about 
Samson. Learn these lines from this poem: 

What is strength without a double share 
Of wisdom? Vast, unwieldy, burthensome, 

Proudly secure, yet liable to fall 

By weakest subtleties, not made to rule 

But to subserve where wisdom bears command. 


SUNDAY SESSION 

A LEADER WHO FAILED 
Judges, chapters 15, 16 
The Memory Verse 

“ He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall minister unto 
me.”—Psalm 101 :6b. 

The Lesson Story 

After Samson had slain the thirty men of Ashkelon, there 
was always hatred between him and the Philistines. Always 
he was trying to do them injury; always they were trying to 
capture him. At length the time came when the Philistine 
rulers forced the men of Judah to give up their countryman. 
Three thousand of them came to him, and he allowed them 
to bind him with two strong new ropes, and hand him over 
to the enemy. 

But God helped Samson; he gave him strength against his 
enemies. He broke the ropes as easily as if they had been 
charred and burned. He seized the only weapon at hand— 
the jawbone of an ass—and rushed at the Philistines. They 
fled before him, and he killed a thousand of them, shouting 
as he slew them: 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


407 


“ With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, 

With the jawbone of an ass have I smitten a thousand men.” 

After these words, he threw down the jawbone to the 
ground, and called upon God, for he was worn out and 
thirsty. And in answer to his cry, God caused water to 
spring from the ground. At the time when the Book of 
Judges was written, the spring was still in existence. God 
was with Samson in his battles for him. 

For twenty years after this battle between Samson and 
the Philistines, Samson judged Israel. Then he showed his 
reckless spirit once more. He went right into the land of 
the Philistines, to the city of Gaza. The citizens knew of 
his presence. They laid wait for him at the gate of the city, 
but he took hold of the gate, and carried it off by main 
strength. He was still the strong man of God, for always it 
was God who gave him the strength to fight so successfully 
with his enemies. 

Again the Philistines tried to* get the belter of Samson. 
He loved a woman named Delilah. The Philistines per¬ 
suaded her to try to get from him the secret of his strength. 
And as in the case of his Philistine bride, he allowed him¬ 
self to be persuaded to tell what should have been a secret— 
that his great strength lay in his long hair, which he wore in 
this way because of his Nazirite vow. If this should be cut, 
his strength would be gone! Delilah, like the other Philis¬ 
tine maiden, told his enemy what he had said. She herself 
cut his hair as he lay asleep. She called in the enemy, and 
they took him captive. Poor Samson had again talked too 
much! He had betrayed his secrets to his enemies. (Of 
course Samson’s strength did not lie in his hair; but God 
knew that a man with such a weak will could never be a true 
leader for his people. So God allowed him to be conquered.) 

The Philistines put out Samson’s eyes. They put him in 
prison where he ground grain for them. And there he had 
time to think. He repented his sins. He regretted that he 
had not been a true leader to the people of Israel. And, as 
his hair began to grow, God gave him back his strength. 
He was as powerful as ever, though his Philistine masters 
did not know this. He had learned to keep a secret. He 
was waiting his chance. 


408 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


One day the Philistines planned a great festivity in honor 
of the fish god, Dagon, whom they worshiped. The building 
was filled with men and women. Upon the roof there were 
about three thousand people. 

Some one thought of calling for Samson to entertain them. 

“ Bring in the destroyer of our country,” they cried. 
“ Call for Samson, that he may make us sport.” 

A lad led poor, blind Samson, whom they thought so 
powerless, into the hall. He must have raised a quick 
prayer to God. He asked the boy to lead him to the pillars 
which supported the roof of the building, saying that he 
wanted to lean against them. 

And then he said another prayer. He took hold of the 
two middle pillars, and prayed silently, “ Let me die with 
the Philistines.” 

“ And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house 
fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. 
So the dead that he slew at his death were more than they 
that he slew in his life. Then his brethren and all the house 
of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, 
and buried him.” 

So God gave power to Samson, “ the strong man with a 
weak will.” He made up for his shortcomings by the way in 
which he died, bravely, for God and his people. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Class 

Samson’s will was weak, and so he failed as a leader. He 
was too easily persuaded to do wrong. Gradually his will 
grew weaker and weaker, until he lost everything because he 
was weak in will although he was strong in body. 

When Samson was a young man he yielded to temptation, 
and insisted on having his own way. As he grew older he 
could not change the habits of years. 

The strongest boy in the school may be kept off the foot¬ 
ball team because he yields to the temptation of smoking 
cigarettes. He is too’ weak to refuse those who urge him to 
smoke with them, although he wants very much to play on 
the team. 

Marion wants to go to the party on Wednesday, but in 
spite of mother’s advice, she will nibble at candy all the day 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


409 


before. She cannot go to the party because she is ill. She 
has yielded to temptation, and must suffer for it. 

Polly’s mother has told her that she must not talk about 
the chance of a new position for father until it is sure. But 
Polly tells her dearest friend, Marie, and Marie tells Susanne, 
and soon Susanne’s father knows, and everyone else in the 
town. Polly’s father almost loses the chance of the position 
because Polly has talked too much. Did you ever do any¬ 
thing like that ? 

The: Lesson Truth in Your Lite 

I will ask God to give me not only a strong body and a 
strong mind, but also a will that is strong for the right. I 
will do God’s work with all my strength and my mind and 
my will, and try to be a strong leader for the right. 

Notebook Work 

Write in your notebook Chapter II of the “ Story of a 
Strong Man with a Weak Will.” See if you cannot find for 
an illustration a small picture of Samson pulling down the 
gates of the Philistine temple. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

A SECOND CHANCE 

John 13:21-30; Matthew 27:1-8; Acts 13:13; II Tim¬ 
othy 4:11. 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

In our last lessons we have been learning the story of 
Samson, the strong man with a weak will. But though 
Samson failed as a leader of his people, he was sorry for his 
weakness, and God gave him strength again, to help the 
Israelites. In New Testament times, too, there were records 
of failures. Peter failed Jesus at the time of his arrest, by 
denying him three times in the palace of the high priest. 
But Peter was truly sorry for his act, and later he showed 



410 


PRIMARY CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


that he was sorry by the way in which he taught about 
Jesus and his life and death and resurrection. He had a 
chance to show his repentance. So did Mark, the writer of 
the Second Gospel, who left Paul and Barnabas on the First 
Missionary Journey, but later made good. Samson redeemed 
himself; so did Peter and Mark. But Judas, who betrayed 
Jesus, did not redeem himself. He had been chosen by Jesus 
to be one of the Twelve—one of the Master’s closest com* 
panions. But he lost his chance. He sinned for the sake 
of money. And then, when he saw what he had done, he did 
not try to right the wrong by his life. He did not die in try¬ 
ing to make up for his wickedness as Samson did; or live 
trying to make up for his fault as Peter did. He gave up, 
and killed himself. He lost the leadership because he was 
weak, and yielded to the temptation of money-getting. 
Everyone in the world makes mistakes. But if we do our 
very best to right those mistakes, God will help us “ If we 
confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us 
our sins.’’ Let us ask God to help us as he helped Peter, 
when we make mistakes. Let us ask him to help us to be 
leaders in our turn, in the paths of righteousness. 

The: Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, we ask that we may help in thy 
work in the world. Help us to walk in the paths of right¬ 
eousness. We ask thy help in this, that we may please thee 
and that we may serve others, and help others to follow thee. 
In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

. . . s 

Verses eor Use in the Meeting 

Ecclesiastes 10:9; Isaiah 35:4a; I Corinthians 16:13; 
II Corinthians 10:10; 12:9; Ephesians 6:10; Hebrews 
11 :32-34; II Timothy 2:1. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ Soldiers of Christ, Arise.” 

“ Onward, Christian Soldiers.” 

“ Forward ! Be Our Watchword.” 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 411 

“ Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.” 

“ Courage, Brother.” 

“ True-Hearted, Whole-Hearted.” 

Questions for Use in the Meeting 

1. What mistake did Moses make which almost cost 
him the leadership of God’s people? What did God do 
about this? (Numbers 20:10-12; Deuteronomy 34:4.) 

2. Did Joshua ever make a mistake of this sort? What 
was it? Joshua 9:14. How did the Israelites have to suffer 
because they forgot to ask God’s counsel in this matter? 

3. Find out about a rash promise that Jephthah made. 
Judges 11:30, 31, 34-37. 

4. Tell the story of Samson’s weakness. 

5. What fault did the Apostle John, in New Testament 
times, have to conquer in order to become a leader? Luke 
9:54, 55; Mark 3:17. 

6. What was Peter’s fault? 

7. What was Judas’ fault? 

8. What is your fault that you must conquer, in order to 
be a leader for God? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

SOME MEN OF THE BIBEE WHO AT FIRST MADE MISTAKES, BUT 
WHO EATER MADE GOOD AS LEADERS FOR THE RIGHT. 

(Find out something about each of these.) 

1. Jacob. 

2. Moses. 

3. Peter. 

4. John Mark. 

5. John the Apostle. 

6. Paul. 

7. Matthew. 

SOME MEN OF MORE MODERN TIMES WHO AT FIRST MADE 

MISTAKES in their lives 

1. John B. Gough. 

2. Augustine. 


412 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


3. Luther. 

4. Jerry McAuley. 

JESUS CHRIST, THE LEADER WHO NEVER MADE A MISTAKE 

To Read in the Meeting 

We must not be discouraged if we make mistakes. We 
must ask God to help us to make them right, and to avoid 
making these same errors a second time. 

“ Give him another chance, and see 
Hew beautiful his life may be.” 

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, 

Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch, 

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, 

If all men count with you, but none too much: 

If you can fill the unforgiving minute 

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, 

Yours is the earth and everything that’s in it. 

And—what is more—you’ll be a man, my son! 

—Rudyard Kipling. 


CHAPTER XU 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE STORY OF RUTH’S CHOICE 
Ruth, chapters 1, 2 
The Memory Verse 

“ But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the 
greatest of these is love.”—I Corinthians 13:13. 

The Lesson Story 

In the latter part of the period of the Judges, Palestine 
had peace for a time. There was no war between the Israel¬ 
ites and their enemies, but the land, which had been overrun 
by the armies of the foes who were as numerous as locusts, 
was not well cultivated, and one year there was a famine. 
There was no grain in the fields; the pasturage was poor; 
the sheep and cattle died. 

In the hill town of Bethlehem in Judea, there lived a man 
named Elimelech and his wife Naomi. They had two sons, 
Mahlon and Chilion. 

“ There is no food for us here in Bethlehem,” said Eli¬ 
melech one day. “ I do not know what to do.” 

“ Perhaps there is more in Israel than there is here in the 
southern part of the land,” suggested Naomi, who was 
always cheerful and happy. 

But Elimelech shook his head. “ No,” he said. “ The 
famine is all over the land of God’s people. But I hear that 
there is grain across the Salt Sea, in Moab.” 

“ O father, let us go to Moab! I am hungry! ” cried 
little Mahlon. 

“ And it will be such fun to see the country as we travel! ” 
said Chilion. 

The two boys were eager to start at once. Elimelech and 
Naomi looked at one another. 


413 


414 JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 

“ Perhaps it would be a good thing to go to Moab,” said 
the father. 

“ I think God wants us to go,” encouraged Naomi. 

And so it was decided. They packed up their household 
goods and put them on the little donkey. They said good-by 
to their neighbors and friends and started on their way. 
How happy the boys were as the^. trudged along northeast 
until they came to the Jordan River! They crossed the 
stream; and then they turned south along the shores of the 
Dead Sea until they came to the land of Moab. 



In Moab, as they had heard, there was plenty to eat, but 
soon the father died. Mahlon and Chilion were almost 
grown up by that time. Soon after their father’s death, they 
were married. Mahlon became the husband of a Moabite 
maiden named Orpah; Chilion married Ruth. 

But the misfortunes of the family from Bethlehem had 
not yet come to an end. Mahlon and Chilion both died, and 
Naomi and her two daughters-in-law were left alone. 
Naomi was sad and lonesome. The people of Moab wor¬ 
shiped strange gods. She was homesick for her friends in 





JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


415 


Bethlehem and the worship of the true God. She decided 
to go back to her old home. Ruth and Orpah started with 
her. 

Before they had gone far, Naomi advised her two 
daughters-in-law to go back to their parents’ homes. She 
spoke kindly to them, and blessed them for their kindness to 
her. Then she kissed them, and Orpah, though she did not 
want to leave Naomi, turned back, weeping. 

But Ruth was different from Orpah. Naomi had been 
very good to her. She loved her mother-in-law dearly. 
And Naomi had taught Ruth also to love the true God. She 
decided to go to the s+ r ange land with Naomi, and she spoke 
her decision in words*mat have made her famous: 

“ Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from follow¬ 
ing after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where 
thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and 
thy God my God; where thou diest, will I die, and there will 
I be buried: Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if aught 


but death part thee and me.” 

And when Naomi saw that Ruth was in earnest and meant 
what she said, she made no further objections.. The two 
women started together on the long, hard journey to 
Bethlehem. 

It was at the time of barley harvest—the latter part of 
March or the early part of April—when the traveleis came 
to Bethlehem in Judea. As they entered the little town, the 
people hardly recognized Naomi; they spoke to her, asking 
if she were not Naomi, who had gone away ten years before. 

“ Yes,” she answered, “ I was Naomi. But do not call 
me Naomi [pleasant] any more. Call me Mara [bitterness], 
for I have lost my husband and my sons, and my life is no 
longer pleasant, but bitter.” 

Naomi and Ruth found a little home for themselves in 
Bethlehem, but they were very poor. It was the time ot 
year when the barley crop was ripe and Ruth proposed to 
Naomi that she should go out into the fields and gather the 
barley that remained after the harvesters had P^sed Ac¬ 
cording to the law of Moses, Leviticus 19:9 10, 1 $ a 
certain amount of grain was left in the fields for the poor to 


gather. 


416 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Now it happened that the field to which Ruth went be¬ 
longed to a kinsman, a relative, of Elimelech, named Boaz. 
He saw the strange maiden following after the reapers. He 
asked who she was, and when he found out how good she 
was to Naomi, he ordered that more grain than usual should 
be left for her. He told her that she was not to glean in 
other fields, but to remain with his reapers. He gave her 
food and drink as he gave it to his own people. When Ruth 
went back to Naomi, she had an ephah of barley, (three 
pecks and five quarts) and Naomi was delighted. She told 
Ruth to do as Boaz had said. 

And so Ruth “ kept fast by the maidens of Boaz, to glean 
unto the end of barley harvest and of yvheat harvest; and she 
dwelt with her mother-in-law.” 

Handwork 

Look at the picture of Ruth gleaning, facing this page; 
at the picture of threshing, page 384; and at the little picture 
of the sower, on page 414. Then make on the sand table, 
scenes of agriculture in Palestine. Make men. oxen, and 
implements of cardboard. Make three scenes: (1) The 
plowing and sowing; (2) the reaping, and (3) the thresh¬ 
ing. If you plant rye, or bird seed, in soil that you keep 
damp, you will have a good “ crop ” in ten days. 

Map Work 

Draw in your notebook a map which will show Bethle¬ 
hem, the Dead Sea, the Jordan River, and Moab. 

Notebook Work 

Write the beginning of the story of Ruth in your notebook. 

Expressionae Activity 

If it is possible this week, give food to some one who 
needs it, in memory of the kindness of Boaz to Ruth and 
Naomi. 


Memory Work 

Learn the famous words of Ruth to Naomi, Ruth 1:16, 17. 



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JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 417 

SUNDAY SESSION 

THE RESULTS OF RUTH’S CHOICE 
Ruth, chapter 4, 

The: Memory Vkrsl 

“ Many waters cannot quench love, 

Neither can floods drown it.” 

—Song of Solomon 8:7. 

The: Lesson Story 

It was the custom in the land of Palestine in the time of 
the Judges for all business to be carried on at the gate of the 
city, in the presence of the elders, or wise men. One day 
Boaz, the kind relative of Elimelech, went to the gate. He 
knew that Naomi had certain property to sell; he knew that 
by law it should be sold to some one in the family. He 
waited until the nearest cousin, who would have the first right 
to buy the land, came to the gate. 

“ Naomi, the widow of Elimelech, has land to sell,” he 
said. “ You have the first chance to buy the land; I have 
the second chance. Do you want to buy the land or not? If 
you do not, I will buy it.” 

“No, I do not want the land,” the man answered. “ You 
can buy it.” And he drew off his shoe, which in those days, 
bound a bargain. Then Boaz stood up, and spoke to the 
elders. 

“ You are witnesses,” he said, “ that to-day I have bought 
everything that was Elimelech’s. Moreover, I announce to 
you all, that I am going to marry Ruth the Moabitess, who 
was the wife of Chilion.” 

All the men at the gate answered solemnly: “ We are wit¬ 
nesses. May you be happy in your marriage. God bless 
you.” And so Boaz, the kind kinsman of Naomi, and Ruth, 
her faithful daughter, were married. 

Boaz took Naomi and Ruth to his home, and they lived 
there happily together, until, one day, a little baby boy was 
horn to Ruth and Boaz. They named this baby Obed, and he 
lived to be a good, kind man, the father of Jesse, and the 
grandfather of David, who became the great king of Israel. 


418 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


So Ruth the Moabite maiden was rewarded for her kind¬ 
ness. She was the great-grandmother of a king. And, more 
than that, through David, she was the ancestress of Jesus, 
the greatest King, the greatest Leader, whom the world has 
ever known. So< all the world knows to-day of the kindness 
of Ruth, the Moabitess, who left her home to become a wor¬ 
shiper of the true God, for the love that she felt for Naomi, 
and of her faithfulness to her mother-in-law. God rewarded 
her for her love and faithfulness, as he always rewards those 
who follow the paths of righteousness. 

Putting the: Lesson Into the Liee oe the Class 

Ruth’s kindness to Naomi was rewarded. You will find 
that kindness to others is always rewarded, though some¬ 
times it does not seem to be appreciated as you wished. 

Always be kind and loving to those who . are older than 
you are. Ruth was respectful and helpful to her mother- 
in-law. Do you always treat your mother and father with 
love and respect ? 

Ruth helped Naomi in every way that she could. You, 
too, should help your parents as you can do so. 

Boaz was kind to the poor. He gave generously to those 
who needed help. Though we may not have so much to give 
as he had, we can share with others, too. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Liee 

I will be loving and respectful and helpful to my parents, 
and so try to follow the example of Ruth, the faithful and 
loving. 


Notebook Work 

Finish the story of Ruth in your notebook. Write down 
the names of her son and her grandson and her great- 
grandson, following the plan of the “ family tree,” given on 
page 45 of the Second Year Book, Part I. Allow plenty of 
space for this, for you may want to add other names. 

Agriculture in Palestine in Modern Times 
The beginning of the harvest is a time of merry singing 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


419 


and industrious work. Women as well as men go to the 
fields and often the babies are taken along in cradles. Some 
of the reapers sleep in the field. The barley harvest always 
precedes the wheat harvest by a few weeks. In reaping, 
the stalks are grasped and cut low down with a sickle. A 
bunch is tied with a straw and thrown into a heap to make a 
shock. The grain is carried to the threshing floor by 
donkeys, mules or camels. The animals have much hard 
work during this season. The threshing floor is usually a 
smooth plot of ground near the edge of the village, beaten 
hard. Very often a natural rock floor may be utilized. At 
Baytin (Bethel) the immense ancient pool, now dry, at the 
southwest of the village, makes an excellent threshing floor. 
On the floor the grain is piled up in what looks like huge 
walls, each family crop by itself. Watchers sleep on the 
floor at night to prevent theft and fire. When all is ready 
the families owning grain on the threshing floor throw down 
circular beds of the shocks and drive the animals around 
upon it. In the middle highland country the hoofs of the 
animals are depended on alone as threshing instruments. 
But in the north, and in some other sections, a sledge is 
drawn about by the animals. In the bottom of the sledge 
teeth of iron or stone are inserted, which tear the straw. The 
animals generally used are the plow cattle, but all animals 
available are liable to be drafted into the service. Horses, 
donkeys, cattle, and mules are to be seen hitched together 
promiscuously. The mouths of the animals are often muz¬ 
zled with sacking. Their drivers follow them up with a kind 
of basket on the end of a pole to catch the manure and pre¬ 
vent its falling into the grain. When threshing begins the 
heap of stalks and heads may be four feet high and fifteen or 
more feet across. Midday is the best time for threshing, as 
the stalks are then brittle. When thoroughly ground and 
beaten by the hoofs of the threshing animals the heap may 
be but a foot deep. When the process of threshing is com¬ 
pleted the resulting mixture of chaff and grain is tossed into 
the air so that the wind may carry off the chaff, while the 
heavy grain falls directly under the fan or wooden fork 
which the laborer is using. The women sift and clean the 
grain with different grades of sieves and the men put it into 
sacks. Another more thorough sifting and cleansing is 


420 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


necessary before it is ground.—From “ The People of Pales¬ 
tine,” by Elihu Grant. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

SHOWING RESPECT TO OUR ELDERS 

Luke 2 : 51 , 52 

Suggestions for the Leader's Opening Address 

In the lessons which we have studied about Ruth, we have 
learned how she loved Naomi, her mother-in-law, and with 
what respect she treated her. Sometimes we feel impatient 
and cross, and are not so respectful to our mother and father 
as we should be. Sometimes we are tempted to be imperti¬ 
nent. But if we think of Ruth in Old Testament times, and 
of Jesus in New Testament days, and how the Bible tells us 
that he was “ subject ” to Joseph and Mary, it will help us 
to control ourselves, and to be more loving and respectful. 
Our parents have done so very many things for us. They 
love us so dearly that we should try to repay them in the 
only way that we can—by being loving and obedient and re¬ 
spectful. Let us ask God to help us in these things. 

The Class Prayer 

Our Father in heaven, help us to follow the example which 
Ruth has set us. Help us to remember thy Commandment, 
“ Honor thy father and thy mother.” Help us to do as 
Jesus did. We ask in his name. Amen. 

Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Exodus 20:12; I Samuel 3:5; Proverbs 10:1; 13:1; Ec¬ 
clesiastes 12:1; John 19:26, 27; Ephesians 6:1, 2. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ The Home.” 

“ O Happy Home.” 



JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


421 


“ I Live for Those Who Love Me.” 

“ Love Thyself Last.” 

“ Live for Others.” 

Questions eor Use in the Meeting 

1. How did Ruth show her love and respect for Naomi? . 

2. How did the boy Samuel show love and respect for 
the old priest Eli ? 

3. How did Jesus show love and respect for Mary and 
Joseph ? 

4. How can you show love and respect for your parents? 

5. Have you been loving and respectful to your parents 
this week? 


Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Fifth Commandment. 

2. Ruth and Naomi. 

3. Honoring Our Elders. 

4. Christ’s Last Act for His Mother. 

5. How We Should Treat Our Teachers. 

6. Young People and Old Age. 

To Read in the Meeting 

HOW WE SHOULD HONOR OUR PARENTS 

“1. By loving them, and expressing to them that love. 

“ 2. By obedience, free, glad, cheerful, overflowing. 

“ 3. By always treating them with respect, in heart, in 
word, and in action; by that ‘ best portion of a man’s life, 
his little, unremembered acts of kindness and love/ 

“ 4. By using parents as your counselors and friends. 

“ 5. By always acting in such a way that those who see 
you will know that you have good and wise parents. As 
people will judge of a church by its members, and of the 
state and nation by its citizens, so will they judge of parents 
by their children. Bad boys or girls always dishonor parents. 

“ 6. By making the most of your opportunities. Every 
parent wants his children to do better and be more useful 
and more successful than he himself. By so doing he honors 
his parents.” 


CHAPTER XLII 
WEEK DAY SESSION 

THE VOW OF HANNAH 
I Samuel 1:1 to 2 :12 

The: MTmory Ve;rse: 

“ My son, hear the instruction of thy father, 

And forsake not the law of thy mother.” 

—Proverbs 1:8. 


The Eesson Story 

In the days of the Judges, many of the people of Israel 
had forgotten the true God, and worshiped the gods of the 
heathen. But the Ark of the Covenant, which hcd been made 
at Mount Sinai according to God’s directions given through 
Moses, was still in existence. In the time of Joshua, Joshua 
18:1, it had been set up at Shiloh, and there it remained for 
many years. 

Shiloh was a town in the territory of Ephraim, about ten 
miles northeast of Bethel, where Jacob had had his vision of 
the ladder to heaven. It was a part of the land very closely 
connected with all the early history of the people of Israel. 

And there, in charge of the tabernacle, lived the old priest 
Eli—seventy-eight yearn old—who served not only as a priest 
but as a judge. Eli is the first man who had held these two 
offices. We do not know of any great deeds which he ac¬ 
complished as a judge, but at the time of the lesson, he was 
an old man, and had left much of his active work in the 
hands of his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who were both 
wicked men. 

Twelve miles from Shiloh, in the town of Ramathaim- 
Zophim, or Ramah, as it was often called in its shorter form, 
there lived at this time a man of a priestly family named 
Elkanah. He and his wife Hannah, like Abraham and 


422 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


423 


Sarah, like Zacharias and Elisabeth, had no child, and they 
longed for a son. They, too, were good people. They went 
each year to the tabernacle at Shiloh to celebrate the feasts 
which the law of Moses had decreed. It was at the time of 
one of these feasts that the old priest, Eli, first noticed Han¬ 
nah. She was praying earnestly for a son; she promised 
God that if she should have a son, he should be a Nazirite— 
that is, he should be given unto the Lord’s service; he should 
never have his hair cut; he should drink no wine. (You re¬ 
member that we studied that Samson and John the Baptist 
were Nazirites.) 

Eli spoke to Hannah. Then he asked a blessing for her; 
he asked God to grant her prayer. And Hannah was glad. 
She felt sure that God would answer her prayer as she 
wished. She went home to Ramah rejoicing, and her hus¬ 
band Elkanah rejoiced with her. 

Later there was a little son born to Elkanah and Hannah 
—a child whom they named “ Samuel,” because, Hannah 
said, she had “ asked him of the Lord.” Hannah took good 
care of the little lad. She watched him most lovingly. But 
she did not forget her promise. She waited until the boy 
was three years old. Then, though it must have torn her 
heart, she and Elkanah took him to the old priest, Eli, at 
Shiloh. They took with them an offering to the Lord; they 
sacrificed, and gave the child into Eli’s care. 

And as Hannah gave her little son into the care of the old 
priest, she spoke words which remind us of the words of 
Mary, at the time of the birth of Jesus, which we call “ The 
Magnificat.” Read some of the song of Hannah: 


“My heart exulteth in Jehovah; . . . 

There is none holy as Jehovah; 

For there is none besides thee, 

Neither is there any rock like our God. 

Talk no more so exceeding proudly; 

Let not arrogancy come out of your mouth; 

For Jehovah is a God of knowledge, 

And by him actions are weighed. 

The bows of the mighty men are broken; 

And they that stumbled are girded with strength. 

They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; 
And they that were hungry have ceased to hunger .... 


424 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Jehovah killeth, and maketh alive: . . . 

Jehovah maketh poor, and maketh rich: 

He bringeth low, he also lifteth up. 

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, 

He lifteth up the needy . . . 

To make them sit with princes, 

And inherit the throne of glory: 

For the pillars of the earth are Jehovah’s, 

And he hath set the world upon them. 

He will keep the feet of his holy ones; 

But the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness; 

For by strength shall no man prevail. 

They that strive with Jehovah shall be broken to pieces; 
Against them will he thunder in heaven: 

Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth; 

And he will give strength unto his king, 

And exalt the horn of his anointed.” 

Then Elkanah and Hannah said good-by to the little boy; 
they went back to their home in Ramah. “ And the child did 
minister unto Jehovah before Eli the priest.” He “ increased 
in favor both with Jehovah, and also with men.” 

Handwork 

Try to make again a model or a picture of the tabernacle 
such as you made with Chapter XXIX. If you have saved 
that which you made at that time, use it to show where Eli 
and Samuel lived. 


Map Work 

Find the location of Shiloh and Ramah, and mark them on 
your map. 


Notebook Work 

In your notebook, write a comparison between Zacharias 
and Elisabeth, Abraham and Sarah, Elkanah and Hannah. 
In what ways were John the Baptist, Samson, and Samuel 
to be alike? What do you find that is similar between the 
Magnificat, the song of Mary, Luke 1:46-55, and the song 
of Hannah? 


Exprlssionab Activity 

During the week try to be especially obedient and helpful, 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


425 


as Samuel was in the part of our lesson which we are to 
study on Sunday. 


Memory Work 

Learn this hymn about Samuel: 

“ Hushed was the evening hymn, 

The temple courts were dark; 

The lamps were burning dim 
Before the sacred ark; 

When suddenly a voice divine 
Rang through the silence of the shrine. 

“ The old man, meek and mild, 

The priest of Israel, slept; 

His watch the temple-child, 

The little Levite, kept; 

And what from Eli’s sense was sealed 
The Lord to Hannah’s son revealed. 

“ O give me Samuel’s ear, 

The open ear, O Lord, 

'• Alive and quick to hear 

Each whisper of Thy word, 

Like him to answer at Thy call, 

And to obey Thee first of all.” 


SUNDAY SESSION 

THE BOY SAMUEL 
I Samuel 2:18, 19; chapter 3 
The Memory Verse 

“ And the child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor 
both with Jehovah, and also with men.”—I Samuel 2:26. 

The Lesson Story 

As the years went by, Samuel became more and more 
helpful to old Eli, who was losing his eyesight, and becom¬ 
ing more and more feeble. At first Samuel could help only 
in little ways. He followed round after the old priest, ask¬ 
ing questions and learning many things about God’s house. 



426 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


As he grew older he could lead the blind old man from one 
room of the tabernacle church to another; he could open and 
shut the doors; he could light the seven-branched candle¬ 
stick, which stood on the south side of the Holy Place, to the 
left of the entrance, and opposite the table of shewbread. 
Each evening the lights of this candelabrum were lighted. 
Each morning they were put out, the lamps were trimmed 



and fresh olive oil was supplied. All these things little 
Samuel could do. He slept in a room adjoining the taber¬ 
nacle, close to the old priest, so that he might be at hand if 
the old man wanted anything during the night. 

Each year Hannah came to see Samuel, bringing for him 
a coat which she had made. He wore this coat under an 
“ ephod ”—a garment such as the priests wore in those days, 
made of two pieces of linen fastened together at the shoulder, 
and falling over the front and back part of the body. 



































































































JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


427 


So the busy days passed until Samuel was twelve years 
old the age of Jesus when, more than a thousand years 
later, he went to the great golden Temple at Jerusalem and 
talked to the wise men there. Samuel, like Jesus, won favor 
with God and men. 

One night Samuel lay asleep in his little room. Suddenly 
he wakened. He heard a voice calling to him. 

“ Here am I,” he answered, thinking Eli had called him. 
He jumped up quickly and ran to the old man. 

“ Here am I,” he repeated, “ for thou calledst me.” 

“ I called not,” answered Eli. “ Lie down again.” 

Samuel obeyed. But again God called him, and again the 
boy thought it was Eli, and went to him. Again Eli sent 
him back to bed. 

The third time God called him, and the third time the boy 
went to Eli, insisting that he had been called. 

This time Eli saw that God was calling the child. He told 
him that he should lie down again and that if he heard the 
voice a fourth time, he should answer, " Speak, Jehovah; for 
thy servant heareth.” 

Samuel must have been filled with awe and reverence as he 
returned to his place. He must have lain wide awake this 
time, listening. And this time there was more than a voice. 
The Lord came and stood beside him and called as before, 
“ Samuel, Samuel,” and the boy answered as Eli had told 
him, “ Speak; for thy servant heareth.” 

God gave to Samuel a message that it must have been hard 
for him to receive—a message that Eli’s family must be 
destroyed on account of the wickedness of his sons. Samuel 
listened. He was afraid to tell Eli the message of the Lord. 
He waited until morning came, and it was time for him to 
open the doors of the tabernacle. 

When Eli heard him stirring about, he called him and 
asked him what the Lord had said to him. And though 
Samuel was afraid, he told Eli all God’s words. And old 
Eli knew that God’s will must be done. He accepted God’s 
decree sorrowfully: “It is Jehovah,” he said; “let him do 
what seemeth him good.” 

This was the first time that God spoke directly to Samuel, 
but many times after that the Lord came to him with mes- 


428 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


sages for the people of Israel. Soon he was recognized as a 
prophet all through the land, for the Lord revealed himself 
to Samuel in Shiloh. 

Putting the Lesson Into the Life of the Class 

At the time of the lesson, Samuel was just the age of 
some of you older Juniors. Yet he grew on, and increased 
in favor both with Jehovah, and also with men. Are you 
increasing in favor with both God and men, as Samuel did, 
and as Jesus did ? 

Samuel did his duty. He helped Eli. He was quick to 
obey when he was called. He was ready to answer. In all 
those ways Juniors of to-day can follow Samuel’s example. 

Samuel obeyed God’s command to give a sorrowful mes¬ 
sage to Eli, even when he was afraid. He sets before us an 
example of courage. 

God found that Samuel was obedient and brave and help¬ 
ful, and he used him for carrying on his work in the world. 
If we try to do right and follow God’s commands, he will 
use us for his work in the world. 

The Lesson Truth in Your Life 

I will try to do my duty cheerfully and quickly, as Samuel 
did, even though it may sometimes seem hard and unpleasant. 

His New Day 
By E. C. Foster 

Last night I was a care-free boy; 

My play was life, my life was play; 

No future called; frpm day to day 

I laughed and romped and lived—a boy. 

But now another day I see, 

A day to do with as I will; 

Shall it be fraught with good or ill? 

What message does it bring to me? 

I catch its gleam ! I breathe its air! 

I hear its ringing call to me, 

Its call to live, to serve, to be, 

My beating heart finds voice in prayer— 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


429 


In prayer that I may find the way, 

The way that He in service went; 

A life for others freely spent, 

To meet the torn world’s need to-day; 


To help that other boy who gropes 
Along the road I just passed through, 
Storm-swept with feelings strange and new; 
Help him to realize his hopes. 


And now life calls me to a quest, 

To love, to laugh, to work, to play, 
To serve, to sacrifice, to pray; 

He calls—and He shall have my best. 


EXPRESSIONAL SESSION 

FOLLOWING SAMUEL’S EXAMPLE 
Proverbs 20:11 

Suggestions tor the Leader’s Opening Address 

The boy Samuel has set before us an example of the ways 
in which boys and girls of Junior age can show what they 
are really worth. “ Even a child maketh himself known by 
his doings,” the Bible tells us, and Samuel’s boyhood proves 
the truth of these words. Just from the little that the Bible 
tells us of him, we know that he was obedient, quick to an¬ 
swer when he was called, careful in doing his duty, respon¬ 
sible, brave, cheerful. In all those things he set an example 
which we Juniors of to-day would do well to follow. Then 
we, too, shall grow in favor with God and men as Samuel 
did, and as Jesus did. 

The Class Prayer 

O Jesus, the Bible says of you that you increased in favor 
both with God and men, as you increased in stature. As we 
grow to manhood and womanhood, help us to be like you, 
and win the favor of our Father in heaven and of the people 
with whom we live. We ask in your name. Amen. 



430 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


Verses for Use in the Meeting 

Judges 13:24; I Samuel 2:26; Luke 1:80; 2:52; Eccle¬ 
siastes 9:10; Matthew 19:13; II Timothy 3:15. 

Hymns that May Be Used in Connection 
with the Meeting 

“ Hushed Was the Evening Hymn.” 

“ Saviour, Teach Me Day by Day.” 

“ We Are Growing, We Are Growing.” 

“ Just as I Am, Thine Own to Be.” 

“Jesus, Friend of Little Children.” 

Questions eor Use in the Meeting 

1. In what way did Samuel show that he was: (a) obe¬ 
dient; (b) quick to answer when called; (c) careful; (d) 
responsible; (e) brave; (f) cheerful? 

2. How can Juniors of to-day follow Samuel’s example? 

3. Are you cheerful and ready to answer quickly if 
mother calls you from your play? 

4. Do you ever have such hard duties as Samuel did? 
(Remember he had to stay constantly with a blind, old man. 
He had work to do. He had to be ready, even during the 
night, to answer if he was called.) 

5. In what ways were the boyhood of Samuel and that 
of Jesus alike? In what ways were they different? 

6. How can you help in the church and Sunday school 
to-day ? 

Topics for Discussion or Reports 

1. The Magnificat and the Song of Hannah. 

2. Following Samuel’s Example. 

3. How Boys and Girls Help in the Church To-Day. 

4. How Boys and Girls Help in the Home To-Day. 

5. The Difference Between Our Duties and Samuel’s. 

6. A Junior’s Responsibilities. 

7. How a Junior Can Grow in Favor with God and Men. 

To Read in the Meeting 

Boys and girls must keep their ears open and their hearts 
open to hear what God has to say to them, to see what he 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


431 


has done for them, and to find out where they can lend a 
hand.— Edward EvKrktt Haul 

“ God is calling every boy and girl as he called Samuel. 
It is an individual call, by name, for ‘ he calleth his own 
sheep by name.’ God calls (1) by his Word; (2) by his own 
loving, attractive character; (3) by what he has done for 
us in Jesus Christ; (4) by the influence of the Holy Spirit; 
(5) by various providences; (6) by conscience; (7) by Sab¬ 
bath and religious services; (8) by the invitations and in¬ 
fluence of friends; (9) by the living water which satisfies 
every thirst of the soul; (10) by the attractions of goodness 
and heaven; (11) by warning, and the fruit of a life of sin. 

“ Like Samuel, we should answer God’s call by ‘ Here am 
I.’ (1) It is easier to be a Christian in youth. (2) Then 

it gives much longer time to serve God. (3) We may not 
live to be old, and thus by putting off our duty we may fail 
altogether. (4) We escape many evils and dangers. No 
one can sow wild oats in youth and not reap a harvest 
of evil. There are some spiritual blessings which can come 
only to those who have grown up in the Christian life. It is 
universally recognized . . . that most men decide their fu¬ 
ture characters very early in life.” 

“ In our work and in our play, 

Jesus, be thou ever near, 

Guarding, guiding all the day, 

Keep us in thy holy fear.” 

“ I’m very glad that long ago 
The Saviour was a little Boy, 

And lived upon this earth below, 

With all its beauty and its joy. 

I’m glad he worked and went to school, 

Much as we children do to-day; 

I’m glad that he could run about 
With other boys and girls, and play. 

“ I’m glad he loved the great outdoors, 

And studied flowers, birds, and trees; 

We know he did, for when he preached, 

His sermons all were full of these. 

If he had always been a Man, 

He never would have learned to know 
Just how the children think and feel— 

And that is why we love him so. 


432 


JUNIOR CHURCH SCHOOL LESSONS 


“ I’m glad he loved the children then 
And took them gently in his arms, 
Because he loves them still, and keeps 
Them safe from everything that harms. 
And so I’m very glad to know 
The Saviour was a Child like me, 

And that my dearest, truest Friend 
Now and forever he will be.” 













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